COVID-19 Vaccines at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals

Yes, if your child is at least 6 months old. Children ages 6 months to 5 years can get either Moderna or Pfizer. Children 6 years and older can get Pfizer.

Anyone who's had a severe allergic reaction to the first dose of a COVID vaccine – or to any of its ingredients – shouldn't get that type of vaccine.

Children who have allergies – such as to pollen, specific medications or pet dander – should get the vaccine when they're eligible but should remain at the vaccination site for 30 minutes after getting their injection, instead of the 15 minutes that most people are asked to wait.

There are some reasons for delaying your child’s vaccination, such as the following circumstances:

• Anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should wait until the symptoms have resolved and self-isolation is no longer required.
• Kids who recently had COVID-19 and were treated with antibody-based therapies (such as monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma) should wait 90 days after treatment.
• People diagnosed with multisystem inflammatory syndrome should wait until they are recovered and at least 90 days have passed since their diagnosis.
• People with a known COVID-19 exposure should wait until their quarantine is over. However, if they live in a group setting, such as a homeless shelter, they may be vaccinated during the quarantine period.

We know that COVID vaccines are safe and effective for kids ages 6 months and up. This is based on data from clinical trials involving thousands of children. Because most negative effects from this type of vaccine – called an mRNA vaccine – occur within six weeks of receiving the shot, the FDA asked the manufacturer to provide eight weeks of safety data after the last dose. None of the children vaccinated in these trials experienced severe side effects.

A very small percentage of people may have a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis, to any vaccine, including a COVID-19 vaccine. If anaphylaxis occurs, vaccine providers have medication on hand to treat it immediately.

Some parents have expressed concerns about the vaccine. Here are the facts on a few common misconceptions.

Myth: Due to the pandemic’s urgency, COVID vaccines weren't tested as thoroughly as other medications.

Fact: The vaccine manufacturers and the FDA followed all the usual protocols for testing vaccines. Thanks to ample funding and large numbers of clinical trial volunteers, the process was faster than usual, but no steps were skipped. The prevalence of the virus also allowed researchers to complete their studies relatively quickly.

Myth: The vaccines are risky for adolescents because their bodies are still developing.

Fact: The mRNA vaccines don't affect hormone levels, and there's no reason to believe they could impact adolescents' development or reproductive health, either immediately after vaccination or years later.

Myth: The vaccine can cause recipients to shed the virus and infect others.

Fact: The COVID vaccines used in the U.S. don’t contain live virus, so getting vaccinated can’t cause someone to shed the virus. You can't contract COVID-19 from the vaccine.

Although children have a lower risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19, it still happens. Consider the following:

• As of October 2021, more than 5 million children in the United States have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and more than 700 of them died of it. Tens of thousands of children have been hospitalized with COVID in the past year. (See the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID Data Tracker for more information.)

• Some kids with COVID develop a dangerous condition called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, or MIS-C. Since the beginning of the pandemic, several thousand children have been diagnosed with MIS-C. About 60 percent to 70 percent of them required intensive care, and about 1 percent to 2 percent died.
• We don't yet know whether infection with COVID-19 has any long-term effects on kids' health.

Vaccination is highly effective in protecting people from contracting the virus and in preventing serious symptoms in those who do contract COVID. Vaccinating all eligible children and adults is also critical for limiting the spread of COVID-19 to vulnerable family and community members, such as those with underlying conditions that put them at risk of serious illness if they get COVID.

Widespread vaccination has the potential to end the pandemic and allow us all to return to school, work and all the activities we enjoy.

Tell the provider about any medical conditions that affect your child. In particular, let the provider know if your child:

• Has any allergies
• Has had myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or pericarditis (inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart)
• Has a fever
• Has a bleeding disorder or is taking a blood thinner medication
• Has a medical condition or takes a medicine that affects the immune system
• Is pregnant or breastfeeding
• Has received a previous COVID-19 vaccine
• Has ever fainted in association with an injection

Reviewed December 2022

Like all medicines, the COVID-19 vaccines can cause side effects, but they are generally mild and temporary. They vary from person to person. Some people have no unpleasant reactions, while others feel lousy for as long as a few days. Adolescents appear to experience side effects similar to those of adults, which may include:

• Pain and redness where the shot was given
• Tiredness
• Headache
• Muscle or joint pain
• Chills
• Fever
• Nausea
• Swollen lymph nodes

Additional side effects for babies and children under age 3 may include irritability, crying, sleepiness and loss of appetite.

These symptoms don't mean your child is getting sick. They indicate that the immune system is responding to the vaccine and building protection against the virus. (This protection develops even if your child doesn't have side effects.) Side effects may occur again after a booster shot.

If your child is uncomfortable after getting the vaccine, it's fine to give a dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen. We don't recommend giving pain relief medication before the shot to prevent side effects.

In rare cases, people have had allergic reactions to the shot (see below) or suffered serious side effects, including myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart). The vast majority of these cases have been mild and have resolved quickly. However, if your child experiences chest pain, shortness of breath, or an unusual heartbeat (fast, fluttering or pounding) within a few days of being vaccinated, seek medical attention immediately.

As with adults, children are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the last dose of their primary series. For most children, this will be after their second dose. For children ages 6 months to 4 years who receive Pfizer, it's after the third dose. Until then, your child should continue following all the usual COVID-19 precautions.

Note: People with weakened immune systems may not be protected even after they’re fully vaccinated. Some immunocompromised patients are now eligible to get a third dose of the vaccine. If your child has a condition or takes a medication that compromises immune function, speak with your family's pediatrician. More information regarding immunocompromised patients is available on our COVID-19 vaccines page.

The rapid spread of the Delta variant led many public health agencies to update their guidance on this issue. The California Department of Public Health currently advises everyone to wear a mask in public indoor spaces, regardless of vaccination status. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommends indoor masking in areas of "substantial or high transmission." Masks continue to be mandatory in health care facilities and on public transportation, such as planes and buses.

More information is available on the California Department of Public Health website and the CDC website.

See the top of this page for instructions on getting the vaccine at UCSF. Your child does not need to be an existing UCSF patient to be vaccinated at one of our clinics.

To find other sites offering the vaccine, please visit vaccines.gov or myturn.ca.gov. Vaccines are also available through primary care physicians and at many neighborhood pharmacies, including CVS, Walgreens and RiteAid. We encourage you to seek out a vaccine at the location that's most convenient for you.

We urge everyone who's eligible to get vaccinated as soon as possible.

Reviewed November 2022

The bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccine is designed to protect against the newer COVID-19 variants that are currently making people sick. UCSF doctors recommend this safe and effective booster shot.

Reviewed December 2022

Anyone who’s at least 5 years old is eligible for the updated booster. Children ages 6 months to 4 years can get an updated shot depending on the primary vaccine series they received.  

Please note that you shouldn’t get the updated booster too soon after your last Pfizer or Moderna shot or a recent COVID infection – even if you tested positive but didn’t get sick. You should wait two months after your last shot and three months after a COVID infection.

Also, if you’ve never had a COVID-19 vaccine, you’ll need to get the primary series vaccines first. Then you can get the updated booster.

People with weak immune systems are more likely to get very ill from COVID. They may need both the updated booster and other protection. You can read more about this on the CDC website.

Reviewed November 2022

To understand the importance of getting this booster, consider the following:

1. Scientists have learned that the COVID vaccines we took months ago get less effective over time. The updated booster gives us a burst of immunity to fight the old and new forms of the virus. This is how we can protect ourselves, our loved ones and our community from COVID-19.
2. The updated booster can keep us from catching COVID-19. And if we do get infected, this booster can prevent severe disease and keep us out of the hospital.
3. It is especially important for older adults (age 65+) and people with compromised immune systems to get the updated booster.
4. The COVID-19 virus is always changing (making new variants). That’s what viruses do. So, we need the updated booster shots for protection against the new variants.

Reviewed November 2022

Yes. A person can be infected by the COVID-19 virus more than once. Getting the updated COVID-19 booster after having COVID-19 provides your immune system with more protection.

Reviewed November 2022

Yes, but you first need to get the COVID-19 vaccine (called the primary series). Then you can get the updated booster.

Reviewed November 2022

You can choose either. Both work well. You don’t need to get the same kind you had in the past.

Reviewed November 2022

Yes. All COVID-19 vaccines and the new booster are safe and effective when given with other vaccines.

At UCSF, you can get the flu vaccine at the same time as a COVID-19 vaccine or booster. To get both shots at the same appointment, schedule an appointment for your COVID vaccine or updated booster; then, when you arrive for your appointment, ask to get the flu shot.

Reviewed November 2022

Yes. The flu vaccine targets the flu virus, and the COVID-19 vaccines target the COVID-19 virus and its variants. COVID vaccines don’t protect you from the flu.

Learn how to schedule a flu shot at one of our UCSF flu clinics.