On Tuesday, an advisory committee to the Food and Drug Administration said the FDA should give emergency use authorization to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, per CNBC.
- Now, more details have been leaked about what side effects children might experience when getting the vaccine.
What are the COVID-19 vaccine side effects for kids:
One study — published by the FDA — that monitored 2,000 children from 5 to 11 years old found that children have many of the same side effects as adults. Those side effects:
- Sore arm.
- Redness on the arm at the injection site.
- Fatigue.
- Fever.
- Chills.
- Headache.
There were no deaths among those in the study.
Do kids get myocarditis from the vaccine?
Dr. Leana Wen, professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, told CNN that there were no instances of myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, among children in that study.
- “It’s possible that as more children are vaccinated, there may be some cases of myocarditis detected, as the inflammatory disease has been linked to the Pfizer vaccine, primarily among younger men under the age of 30,” Wen told CNN.
- She added, “It’s crucial to note that myocarditis also occurs with COVID-19, and the potential risk of myocarditis associated with the vaccine has to be weighed against the benefit of the vaccine in preventing a whole host of problems associated with the disease.”
How long do COVID-19 vaccine side effects last for kids?
The symptoms occurred during the first 24 hours after getting the vaccine. The symptoms will disappear in a few days, according to the study.