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4 ways to prepare for your child's COVID-19 vaccine

Vaccinating adolescents is important for protecting them--children can get very sick with COVID-19--and the people around them, such as younger siblings. It will also help adolescents return to important events such as sports and social outings without constant fear of infection.

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Vaccine Band-Aid
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UNC Health Talk
Editor's note: This article originally appeared on UNC Health Talk.

It’s big news in the fight against COVID-19: Children ages 12 to 15 can now get the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine under an emergency use authorization.

Like adults, adolescents will receive two doses of the Pfizer vaccine about 21 days apart and will be considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the second dose.

Vaccinating adolescents is important for protecting them—children can get very sick with COVID-19—and the people around them, such as younger siblings. It will also help adolescents return to important events such as sports and social outings without constant fear of infection.

Here are four ways to prepare your child for the vaccine.

1. Plan around important events—and other vaccines.

When it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine, timing is important. While many people have no side effects, or just a sore arm, it’s not unusual to experience fever, chills and fatigue for a day or two after getting the vaccine, especially the second dose. For that reason, you’ll want to avoid scheduling a vaccine appointment the day before a final exam, dance recital, travel, or even an important sporting event, just in case.

By contrast, getting the COVID-19 virus can keep you away from important events for much longer.

“When speaking to teens, it is important to emphasize that if they become infected with the virus, this could significantly impact their ability to participate in activities, such as sports,” says Dr. Stephanie Duggins Davis, physician-in-chief at UNC Children’s and chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the UNC School of Medicine. “The teen may have to quarantine or may be so sick that they may not be able to play sports, take exams or go to the prom.”

In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends not getting other vaccines within two weeks of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

For example, if you have a 12- or 13-year-old due for a dose of the HPV vaccine, you’ll want to make sure there are at least two weeks between the two vaccines. This is done out of an abundance of caution in case either vaccine produces side effects, even very mild ones. Public health officials take careful note of any reported side effects, even a sore arm, and want to be able to determine which vaccine may have caused them.

If your child is due for other vaccines, get the COVID-19 vaccine first.

“That’s the immediate public health concern right now, and then come back in a few weeks and we can do the others,” says UNC Health pediatrician Dr. Edward M. Pickens.

2. Be sensitive to any anxiety your child might have.

If your child has a fear of shots, don’t tell him or her about the upcoming shot too far in advance.

“Sometimes it’s worse to prepare because they’re thinking about it until it actually happens, and it just builds and builds and builds,” Dr. Pickens says. “If you have a child who is especially worried, what you’re really doing is setting them up for several days of worry.”

Instead, wait for the day of the shot to explain why they need it. You can say it will keep them, their friends and their loved ones safe and will help everyone return to a more normal life, like before the pandemic.

“Explain the importance of why they’re receiving the vaccine,” Dr. Davis says. “They’re going to have just a very brief amount of pain compared to having to quarantine for several days if they acquire the virus, or they may become symptomatic.”

3. Plan ahead if your child has a history of fainting.

Let the person who is administering your child’s shot know if he or she has a history of fainting with needles.

If your child has a history of fainting with needles or a fear of shots, the CDC recommends doing the following:
  • Have a beverage or snack before getting the vaccine.
  • Breathe slowly and deeply before getting the vaccine and think of something relaxing.
  • Sit or lie down after receiving the vaccine.

4. Talk to your child’s doctor if you have concerns about the vaccine.

Don’t be afraid to ask your child’s doctor anything about the vaccine; it’s normal to have questions, and the doctor should take time to discuss all of your concerns.

Count on a trusted pediatrician, not what you hear online or from friends, Dr. Pickens says.

“If you have questions about side effects or long-term manifestations of the vaccine, talk about them with your doctor, because you don’t want social media to be your source of information,” he says. “It really doesn’t take much for completely false information to make the rounds, and next thing you know, it’s perceived to be true.”

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