From the Guidelines
The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccination for everyone 6 months and older, with specific guidelines for vaccination schedules and boosters based on age and previous vaccination history, as outlined in the 2024-2025 recommendations 1.
Overview of Recommendations
The guidelines provide detailed schedules and tables for vaccination by age and vaccination history, including considerations for those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.
- For children 6 months through 4 years, the primary series consists of either two doses of Moderna or three doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines, with specific intervals between doses 1.
- Children 5 through 11 years should receive one dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech) to be up to date 1.
- Adolescents 12 through 17 years and adults should receive one dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna, Novavax, or Pfizer-BioNTech) to be up to date 1.
Immunocompromised Individuals
For individuals who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, additional doses may be recommended, with at least 2 months between the last recommended dose and any additional dose 1.
Vaccine Administration
The timing between doses varies by vaccine brand and age group, with typically 3-8 weeks between primary series doses 1.
Benefits and Side Effects
These vaccines help individuals develop immunity by triggering an immune response without causing the disease itself, reducing the risk of severe COVID-19 illness, hospitalization, and potential complications 1. Side effects are generally mild and may include pain at the injection site, fatigue, and low-grade fever, typically resolving within 1-2 days.
From the FDA Drug Label
2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
- 3 Dose and Schedule Individuals 6 Months Through 4 Years of Age by Moderna COVID-19 Vaccination Status Number of Previous Doses of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine(s)a Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula) Dosing Regimen, Dose and Scheduleb 0c 2 doses,d 0. 25 mL each Dose 1: month 0 Dose 2: month 1 1 Single Dose, 0.25 mL One month after receipt of a previous dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccinea ≥2 Single dose, 0. 25 mL ≥2 months after receipt of the last previous dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccinea Individuals 5 Years Through 11 Years of Age Irrespective of COVID-19 Vaccination Status a For individuals with certain kinds of immunocompromise, see text following tables for dosing information b Previous dose refers to a dose of any prior COVID-19 vaccine that is no longer authorized for use in the United States. Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula) Dosing Regimen, Dose and Schedulea Single dose, 0. 25 mL (If previously vaccinated, administer the dose ≥2 months after receipt of the last previous dose of COVID-19 vaccineb) Individuals 6 Months through 11 Years of Age with Certain Kinds of Immunocompromise Individuals 6 months through 11 years of age with certain kinds of immunocompromise3 should complete at least a three-dose series with a COVID-19 vaccine, each dose one month apart. 4 At least 1 dose should be with a COVID-19 vaccine (2024-2025 Formula).
The current CDC guidelines for pediatric vaccination schedule in regards to Covid vaccination and boosters, as per the provided drug label, are as follows:
- For individuals 6 months through 4 years of age:
- If not previously vaccinated, administer 2 doses of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula), 0.25 mL each, with Dose 1 at month 0 and Dose 2 at month 1.
- If previously vaccinated with 1 dose, administer a single dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula), 0.25 mL, one month after receipt of the previous dose.
- If previously vaccinated with ≥2 doses, administer a single dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula), 0.25 mL, ≥2 months after receipt of the last previous dose.
- For individuals 5 years through 11 years of age:
- Administer a single dose of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula), 0.25 mL, ≥2 months after receipt of the last previous dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
- For individuals 6 months through 11 years of age with certain kinds of immunocompromise:
- Complete at least a three-dose series with a COVID-19 vaccine, each dose one month apart.
- At least 1 dose should be with a COVID-19 vaccine (2024-2025 Formula).
- Additional doses of Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine (2024-2025 Formula) may be administered at the discretion of the healthcare provider, taking into consideration the individual’s clinical circumstances 2.
From the Research
COVID-19 Vaccination Schedule for Pediatrics
The current CDC guidelines for the pediatric vaccination schedule in regards to COVID vaccination and boosters are not explicitly stated in the provided studies. However, some information can be inferred from the studies:
- The studies primarily focus on adult populations, with some discussing vaccination strategies for immunocompromised individuals and older adults 3, 4, 5, 6.
- There is no direct information on pediatric vaccination schedules, but the studies suggest that vaccination and booster strategies are crucial for preventing severe COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations 7, 5, 6.
- The CDC recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination and boosters are mentioned in some studies, but these are primarily focused on adult populations, such as those aged 65 years and older 4 or nursing home residents 6.
Booster Dose Effectiveness
Some studies discuss the effectiveness of booster doses in preventing COVID-19 infections, including:
- A study on the effectiveness of COVID-19 booster dose vaccination against the Omicron variant found that booster doses can provide increased protection against hospitalization and death 7.
- Another study estimated that booster doses can avert new infections and hospital admissions, and that annual or biannual boosting of eligible individuals can reduce the public health burden and health systems risk 5.
- A study on nursing home residents found that an additional primary or booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine provided 46.9% relative vaccine effectiveness against Omicron variant infection compared to primary series vaccination alone 6.
Key Points
- The provided studies do not directly address the pediatric vaccination schedule for COVID-19.
- Vaccination and booster strategies are important for preventing severe COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
- Booster doses can provide increased protection against COVID-19 infections, including the Omicron variant.
- Annual or biannual boosting of eligible individuals can reduce the public health burden and health systems risk.