A: Don’t wait. Get the vaccine authorized for kids aged 5-11 years.
TL; DR: The lower dose produces a strong immune response in kids and may have fewer side effects.
We are still getting this question a lot, so a reminder that vaccine dosage is based on the amount needed to stimulate a sufficient immune response and minimize side effects, not on body weight.
Medications are different in that they need to reach a certain level in the bloodstream in order to be effective. Only a small amount of vaccine is needed to alert the immune system to a threat and teach it how to recognize it in the future.
Kids have strong immune responses and the lower dose for 5-11 year olds produced as good an immune response as the higher dose in 12-15 year olds. This was true even for kids in the trial close to 12 years old.
That lower dose will give just as good of protection sooner rather than later (and potentially milder side effects). With cases rising in much of the country, waiting is risky.
The U.S. CDC & the American Academy of Pediatrics both recommend NOT waiting until your child turns 12 for their first dose.
If your child turns 12 in between doses, the CDC recommends the dose corresponding to the child’s age that day (so a higher 2nd dose). BUT if they do receive the lower dose it is not considered an error they are still considered to have completed the series (we’d be interested in any anecdotes of how this is playing out in practice).
Don’t wait, go vaccinate!
