Page 3 - Healthy Kids Now - Spring 2021

COVID-19
VACCINE UPDATE
As of February 2021, three COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson have been authorized for emergency use in the United States. In Pennsylvania, the Department of Health is working to complete vaccinations through phases 1A, 1B, 1C, and 2. Please consult www.health.pa.gov to learn more about current vaccination protocol.
Can Children Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine?
Studies for the vaccine have focused on adults.This is because the virus has shown to have more serious outcomes in adults than children.The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved for people 16 years and older, the Moderna vaccine is approved for people 18 and older, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is approved for people 18 and older. More research is underway to make a vaccine avail- able to younger children.
Background on the Vaccines
The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are two-dose vaccines, and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a single- dose vaccine.They are all administered into the muscle.The Pfizer-BioNTech doses are given three weeks apart, whereas the Moderna doses are given a month apart. Other compa- nies, including AstraZeneca, Inovio, and Novavax, are still developing their vaccines.
Sources: Pennsylvania Department of Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Associated Press
How to Stay Up-to-Date on COVID-19 Developments
For additional updates on COVID-19 vaccines, visit www.fda.gov or www.health.pa.gov to learn more.
Specific COVID-19 resources:
• www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/coronavirus/Pages/ Vaccine.aspx
• www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/ coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines
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