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 12-22 on a limited basis:

  • The Walgreens location at the main hospital campus is accepting appointments to vaccinate eligible individuals with the Pfizer vaccine.
  • Eligible children may be offered Pfizer vaccine as part of specialty outpatient visits and during emergency department visits.
  • Children’s National and HSC inpatients who meet age requirements will also be provided the vaccine when it’s considered appropriate for them by the medical team.

  5-11 Year Old COVID-19 Vaccinations
  

  • When approved, there will be a number of safe and convenient options available to families seeking vaccines for their 5-11 year old child. Please find the location that is most convenient for you. We encourage families to call their pediatrician, use 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.

  For patients who we have identified as having a higher risk of obtaining a severe COVID-19 infection, we will be holding limited capacity vaccine events. These events are by invitation only.

• 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 12-22, but parents/caregivers can also request vaccination from Children’s National Hospital as a walk-in on Tuesdays at the main hospital from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. There is ample supply of vaccines in the community at public health facilities, retail drug stores 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.

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

  Pfizer is conducting clinical trials in children younger than 5 and we expect news on the results of those trials later this year. Moderna is poised to request emergency use authorization to administer their vaccine to children age 12 and up. Johnson & Johnson is still studying their vaccines on children younger than 18 years of age.

  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.

General Vaccine Information

• 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 can be administered to people ages 12 years and older, while 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 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.

• 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?

  With the rise of variants and increasing infection rates, the CDC advises continued mask-wearing indoors in public settings. Additionally, state, local and individual business regulations still apply until otherwise noted. If you are not yet fully vaccinated, you should not stop wearing a mask and should continue to practice safety measures like social distancing and frequent handwashing to minimize the risk of contracting COVID-19. The CDC has been updating its guidelines on mask-wearing as the vaccine rates rise. 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.

• 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 12-22.