COVID-19 Vaccines for Teens and Preteens

COVID-19 vaccines for teens and preteens are now authorized to help protect against the COVID-19 virus. All authorized and recommended COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and help protect us from severe illness.

Why should my child receive a COVID-19 vaccine?

The authorized COVID-19 vaccines help protect your preteen and teen from getting COVID-19. Receiving the vaccine also helps them from getting seriously ill, even if they do get COVID-19. The COVID-19 vaccination is safe and effective in the fight against the virus. According to the CDC, the vaccines have been used under the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history.

According to the CDC, as of now, the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is available for everyone ages 12 and older. The vaccine was 100% effective at preventing COVID-19 with symptoms in the clinical trial and no safety concerns had been identified in the trial.

When should my child get the COVID-19 vaccine?

All children 12 years and older are now able to get the COVID-19 vaccine. If you have questions or concerns, please speak with your Primary Care Provider about your child receiving the vaccine as soon as possible. You can call our COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center at 336-694-1181 for the availability of the vaccine, or if you have any other questions regarding the vaccine in general. CHC will be receiving vaccines, but please call this number to check and see when they will be available for your child to receive them with us.

What to expect with your child’s COVID-19 vaccine

Currently, Compassion Health Care, Inc. will be receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, which means your child will receive 2 shots given approximately 3 weeks apart in order to get the most protection. When your child receives his or her vaccine, he or she will be asked to stay for 15 minutes so the child may be observed in case of severe allergic reaction. The body is building protection against the virus after receiving the vaccine, so your child may have side effects that are normal because of this. Like adults, the side effects from the second dose may feel more intense than that of the first. If you have concerns such as redness or tenderness after 24 hours, or if side effects don’t seem to go away after a few days, please call your PCP.

What are the possible side effects of COVID-19 vaccinations in teens and preteens?

• Pain in the arm
• Swelling where you got the shot
• Redness in the area where you got the shot
• Tiredness
• Chills
• Muscle pain
• Fever
• Nausea
• Headache

As with adults, the benefits far outweigh the potential side effects and it will help protect your child from COVID-19.

To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine that will be available at CHC, please call our COVID-19 Vaccine Call Center at 336-694-1181, or speak to your PCP. You can also learn more about all approved vaccines at the CDC website. Our call center is open Monday, 8 am to 5 pm, Thursday, 8 am to 5 pm, and Friday, 8 am to noon.