COVID-19 can often be milder in children when compared with adults, but the disease can still make children severely sick, require hospitalization and, in some cases, result in death. While children are at lower risk for severe illness from COVID-19, they can still become infected and spread the virus to others, including adults. Additionally, children with underlying health conditions are more at risk for severe illness and some children could develop serious short and long-term complications as a result of being infected.
Getting an age-appropriate dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine can protect children ages 5-11 and others they are around, including family members who may be at higher risk or not able to be vaccinated. Additionally, getting vaccinated helps keep children in school and able to participate in extracurricular activities, like sports, playdates and other events.