Coronavirus Vaccine FAQs

Children's National Hospital Vaccinations

• Is Children’s National offering the COVID-19 vaccine?

  Yes. Based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Children’s National is administering the Pfizer vaccine to individuals ages 5 and older in our primary care practices, during certain specialty care appointments, to inpatients when medically appropriate and in the emergency department.

  There are a number of safe and convenient options available to families seeking vaccines for their 5-11-year-old children. We encourage families to call their pediatrician, use schools and retail drug stores like Walgreens or CVS, and consider public health distribution in the county or city you live in to obtain the vaccine for your child. Families can visit www.vaccines.gov to find a location to receive the vaccine.

• Can my dependent child get the vaccine without a parent or guardian present?

  No, one parent or guardian must be on-site to consent to their dependent child below the age of 18 getting the vaccine. Parental consent for dependent children is required at Children's National. Telephone or electronic consent is not permitted – the parent or guardian must be present at the vaccine appointment.

• Can other members of my family get a vaccine if my child qualifies for one?

  Yes, we are prioritizing individuals who are ages 5-11, but parents/caregivers and older siblings can also request vaccination from Children’s National Hospital. There also is ample supply of vaccines for adults in the community at public health facilities, retail drug stores (including the Walgreens pharmacy in the atrium of the hospital) and primary care doctors. Families are encouraged to find the most convenient and timely option for themselves and their children.

• How should I prepare my child to receive the vaccine?

  Make sure your child has eaten well and is hydrated prior to receiving the vaccine. The appointment itself should take only about 20 minutes. We encourage parents to discuss health concerns with their primary care physician prior to coming in for the vaccine. Questions about side effects, allergies and other topics are best answered by the child’s pediatrician.

• Will I receive official documentation of my child’s vaccination?

  We provide an official CDC-issued vaccination card with the first dose of vaccine. Please bring that card with you when your child receives their second dose. The card serves as the official documentation of the COVID-19 vaccination, so it is important not to misplace the card.

  Take a picture of the card after each dose is given and register for digital vaccine documentation with your state health department to maintain back-up proof of vaccination.

• If I misplace my child’s vaccination card; how can I receive another copy?

  Children's National Hospital cannot issue replacement vaccine cards. Please take a photo of the card as soon as you receive it. If you need to obtain documentation of the vaccine, please go to the health department of the state/city where you received the vaccine.

  • If your child received the vaccine in D.C. you can obtain documentation of your child’s vaccine here.
  • If your child received the vaccine in Maryland you can obtain documentation of your child’s vaccine here.

Booster Shots

• What is a booster shot?

  A booster shot refers to an extra dose of a vaccine after the original series of shots has been given. It can be given months or years later. This is common for many vaccines and is now also recommended for the COVID-19 vaccine.

• Why is the COVID-19 booster shot recommended?

  The effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine can wane after several months. The booster shot strengthens your immune response to the COVID-19 virus, increasing your protection against COVID-19 infection, hospitalization and death.

• Who is eligible for a COVID-19 booster shot?

  • Pfizer booster: All individuals who received the Pfizer vaccine initially, are 5 years of age and older and are at least five months out from their second shot are eligible for a Pfizer booster.
  • Moderna booster: All individuals 18 years of age and older who have had the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and are at least five months out from their second shot are eligible for a booster.
  • Johnson & Johnson booster: All individuals 18 years of age and older who have had the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and are at least two months out from their first shot are eligible for the COVID-19 booster.

  Visit the CDC website to learn more about the COVID-19 booster shot.

• Are immunocompromised people eligible to receive additional doses of vaccine?

  • Immunocompromised children ages 5+ should receive an additional (3rd) dose of Pfizer as part of their primary series of vaccines 28 days following their second shot.
  • Immunocompromised people age 18+ who received Moderna should receive an additional (3rd) dose of Moderna as part of their primary series of vaccines 28 days following their second shot. 
  • Immunocompromised people age 18+ who received J&J should receive a Pfizer or Moderna booster two months after their J&J shot.

  Learn more about booster shots for immunocompromised children on the CDC website.

• Is Children’s National administering the COVID-19 vaccine booster shots?

  Children’s National is administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine only to eligible patients.

  • The Pfizer booster is approved for individuals 5 years of age or older and can be given five months after completing the initial COVID-19 vaccination series.
  • If your child is immunocompromised and age 5-11, they should receive the Pfizer booster three months after completing the initial vaccination series.
  • Our hospital and primary care teams will administer Pfizer booster shots to eligible patients.

  We encourage you to find a booster shot at your local pharmacy, health department or school. Please do not make an appointment with your specialty care provider only to get a booster.

  Talk to your primary doctor if you have questions.

COVID Vaccines for Ages 5-11

• Will children need two shots like adults? Will they have common short-term side effects after the second shot?

  Yes, children will receive 2 doses of the vaccine, 3 weeks apart.

  In the clinical trial, side effects were very mild and similar to what was seen in adolescents and adults (fever, fatigue, muscle pain). Pain at the injection site (where the shot went into the arm) was the most common reaction, with about three-fourths of vaccine recipients experiencing it. Most children said this pain was mild. This was seen after the first and second doses.

• Has myocarditis been seen yet for 5-11-year-old children?

  There were no cases in the trial, even though vaccine trial researchers were looking for it very specifically.

• Will children eventually need boosters like adults?

  COVID-19 cases continue to rise, along with a spike in pediatric hospitalizations, but the new strain appears to be milder in fully vaccinated people. We recommend your child to get the booster shot if your child is eligible.

• How big was the clinical trial for this age group?

  We know enough from this trial to be reassured that antibody response and common side effects are very favorable, and we know that serious side effects are not common.

  We know the rates of serious side effects from COVID-19 infection, and they far outweigh the risks of the vaccine.

• For kids who are 11, should they wait until they are 12 to get the full vaccine?

  This is an individual decision, based on each child’s individual situation. In general, we would not recommend waiting very long, and to discuss any concerns with their trusted health care provider.

• What happens if my child has their 12th birthday between shot 1 and 2?

  If your child turns 12 after they've received their first dose of the vaccine, they should get the dose for 12-year-olds for their second shot. However, if they get they get the dose for 11-year-olds, that is fine too.

• Can children with a known COVID-19 infection be vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine?

  If your child has COVID-19, they should wait until they have recovered from the illness AND met the criteria to discontinue isolation before getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

• My child had multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). Can they still get the vaccine?

  Patients who had MIS-C were not included in the initial trial of 5-11 year olds that Pfizer conducted on their COVID-19 vaccine. However, consensus among the health care field is that it is safe and beneficial for children with a history of MIS-C living in areas with high risk for exposure/transmission to receive the vaccine if they have clinically recovered (especially their heart function) and it's been at least 90 days since their diagnosis. If you have specific concerns about your child's individual history, we recommend reaching out to their doctor/specialist for best recommendations.

Pregnancy and the COVID-19 Vaccine

• Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe for pregnant women?

  Yes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine all recommend pregnant people get vaccinated against COVID-19. 

  Because people who are pregnant or recently pregnant are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with people who are not pregnant, getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help protect from severe illness from COVID-19. Evidence about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy has been growing and suggests that the benefits of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh any known or potential risks of vaccination during pregnancy. Vaccination during pregnancy also builds antibodies that might protect the baby.

• If I'm pregnant should I get a booster COVID-19 vaccine?

  Yes. While your original vaccine continues to protect you against severe illness and death, it will wear off a bit over time. A booster shot provides extra protection against COVID-19 for you and your baby. You should discuss with your doctor when you should get a booster shot if you have already received your primary vaccination.

• What happens if I get pregnant after receiving my first COVID-19 vaccine?

  If you get pregnant after receiving your first shot of a COVID-19 vaccine that requires two doses (i.e., Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine), you should get your second shot to get as much protection as possible.

• I've heard the COVID-19 vaccine can cause miscarriage. Is this true?

  No. The COVID-19 vaccine does not cause miscarriage. Scientists have not found an increased risk for miscarriage among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine just before and during early pregnancy.

• I’ve heard the COVID-19 vaccine can cause infertility. Is this true?

  No. There is no evidence that any vaccine, including the COVID-19 vaccines, causes infertility or miscarriage. 

• Is it safe for lactating people to get the COVID-19 vaccine?

  Yes. Currently the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) are both recommending that breastfeeding people get the vaccine to protect themselves and their families. Studies have shown the vaccine is safe and effective for this group.

• Does getting the COVID-19 vaccine protect my breastfed child?

  Probably. While there is still limited research, it seems that getting vaccinated does produce antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 that can be in the breastmilk. This is good news because we know when a person secretes antibodies against other diseases in breastmilk, the breastfed baby is protected against those diseases by the antibodies (the official term for this is “passive immunity”). We are still doing the research to determine how much the antibodies against COVID-19 protect breastfed infants of vaccinated parents.  

• Can I give my child COVID-19 through the vaccine?

  No. Here the research is clear — the COVID-19 vaccine will not give you (or your breastfed little one) COVID-19. The reason is that there are no actual COVID-19 virus particles in the vaccine. No virus means no infection.

General Vaccine Information

• When will children younger than 5 be eligible for the vaccine?

  We expect to have FDA approval for the Pfizer vaccine for children under 5 in early 2022. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is urging federal agencies to support the timely, but safe, development of COVID-19 vaccines for children, to help understand any potential unique immune responses and/or safety concerns in children.

  • Pfizer was granted emergency use authorization by the FDA for children age 5-11 to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Moderna has requested emergency use authorization to administer their vaccine to children ages 12-18.
  • Johnson & Johnson is still studying their vaccines on children younger than 18 years of age.

• Which vaccines are currently available in the United States?

  There are currently three COVID-19 vaccines available — one created by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech, one created by Moderna and one created by Johnson & Johnson.

  • The Pfizer vaccine has been granted emergency use authorization to be administered to children ages 5 and older. Pfizer received full authorization for individuals 16 years of age and older in August 2021.
  • The Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are approved for use in people aged 18 years and older.

• What did the CDC announce about myocarditis?

  In late May, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) began looking into reports that a very small number of adolescents and young adults developed the heart issue, myocarditis, within a week of receiving the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC received several dozen reports through routine safety surveillance mechanisms (Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting Systems or VAERS).

  Myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle that decreases the ability of the heart to pump blood normally. In general, there is no evidence that congenital heart disease increases the risk of myocarditis. 

  The FDA, CDC and other public health agencies are continuing to monitor and investigate these reports and determine if there is any association or link to COVID-19 vaccination. At this time, the consensus from the medical and scientific community is that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination, and subsequent prevention of COVID-19 disease and complications of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) and Post-Acute COVID Syndrome (“long COVID”), far outweigh the rare, possible risk of myocarditis.  

  Children’s National continues to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for all eligible individuals.

• Do the vaccines have any short-term side effects?

  • The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines cause predictable common side effects (fever, fatigue, muscle pain) that are seen as a result of the body creating an immune response to the vaccine. In very rare cases, there have been reports of severe allergic reactions, which is why we observe all patients for at least 15 minutes after vaccine administration. There have been no other serious safety concerns from their vaccines. All study participants have been followed for at least 2 months after getting vaccinated to look for side effects and will continue to be followed for 1-2 years in total.
  • The CDC and FDA released guidance on April 13, 2021, recommending the temporary pause of the use of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine while they investigated several reports of a rare but severe side effect. On April 23, 2021, the CDC and FDA recommended that the use of Johnson & Johnson/Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine could resume in the United States, after a temporary pause.

• Are there any long-term side effects for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine?

  Some people have expressed concerns that the Pfizer vaccine may have long-term side effects. Although it is always important to consider the risks and benefits of any medical choice we make, there is no vaccine that has caused late-onset side effects (beginning more than 2 months after receiving the vaccine). All vaccines are made to disintegrate safely in your body. Vaccines introduce a non-harmful ingredient that looks like the true virus or bacteria, allowing your body to build antibodies against the virus/bacteria without getting infected.

  For the Pfizer vaccine, the non-harmful ingredient is mRNA. This acts like a recipe that our body uses to build protein. This protein is harmless but does look exactly like the protein on the outside of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), so our antibodies can be prepared if it sees the real virus. mRNA, however, is literally used up as it is read by the body. In fact, the end of the mRNA recipe has instructions to break down the mRNA and stop the production of the protein.

• What should parents look for after their child receives the vaccine?

  We recommend that parents monitor their children for symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath and fast or irregular heartbeat that may be consistent with myocarditis, and immediately report those symptoms to their doctor.

• Can my child stop wearing a mask after they receive vaccine?

  Follow regulations and requirements that are established by the state, local, and individual business regulations. In general, wearing a mask can help the wearer from breathing in the viruses that suspend in the air and lower the risk of having not only COVID-19 but also other types of respiratory viral infections such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus. View the most recent guidelines on the CDC webpage.

• Are vaccinated people protected against the delta variant?

  From what we know so far, people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 continue to have strong protection against moderate to severe COVID-19 illness, as well as hospitalization and death. However, some people may still be infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus or develop mild COVID-19 illness.

• Are vaccinated people protected against the omicron variant?

  Current vaccines are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations and deaths due to infection with the Omicron variant. However, breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated are likely to occur. With other variants, like Delta, vaccines have remained effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations and death. The recent emergence of Omicron further emphasizes the importance of vaccination and boosters.

• Was Children’s National offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to patients?

  Yes, after the FDA issued the Emergency Use Authorization for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, we developed a plan to administer the vaccine to inpatients. Between April 1 and April 12, 2021, we administered 15 doses.

• Why did Children’s National pause the Johnson & Johnson vaccinations?

  We suspended our use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine based on guidance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On April 23, 2021, the CDC and the FDA recommended that the use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine could resume in the United States, after a temporary pause. We are currently only offering the Pfizer vaccine to individuals age 5-22.