Pediatric COVID-19 Vaccination FAQs
Everyone age 6 months and older is eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. Parent or guardian consent is required.
View the vaccine fact sheets:
Booster Doses
Many available vaccines require boosters. Boosters help increase your immune response, which may decline over time. Everyone age 6 months and older can get a COVID-19 booster.
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Children ages 6 months through 5 years who previously completed a Moderna primary vaccine series are eligible to receive a Moderna bivalent booster 2 months after their final primary series dose.
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Children ages 6 months through 4 years who are currently completing a Pfizer primary vaccine series will receive a Pfizer bivalent vaccine as their third primary dose.
Vaccination Scheduling Options:
- MaineHealth Pediatric Practices: Contact your child's primary care provider to schedule an appointment.
- MaineHealth Vaccine Clinics: Visit vaccine.mainehealth.org, or call 877-780-7545 to schedule an appointment.
- MaineHealth Walk-In Clinics: We offer walk-in vaccination in several locations with no appointment needed. Find a walk-in site near you.
- Community Vaccine Locations: Many locations throughout Maine offer COVID-19 vaccination. See a full list of locations.
Please review our vaccination appointment guide before you arrive.
Yes, vaccination is safe for children 6 months and older. The benefits outweigh any potential risks. Get your children vaccinated as soon as they are eligible. Vaccination will help protect your child from severe illness and hospitalization due to COVID-19 infection. Vaccination will also help prevent your child from transmitting the virus to others.
View the vaccine fact sheets:- Pfizer Age 12+
- Pfizer Age 5 - Under 12 Years
- Pfizer Age 6 months - Under 5 Years
- Moderna Age 6 months - Under 6 Years
Learn more about the process of developing, authorizing and approving COVID-19 vaccines.
Like many vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines may cause mild side effects, like a sore arm, body aches, headache, a fever, or tiredness for a day or two. These are signs that your child’s immune system is responding to the vaccine and building immunity to the virus.
- Use the V-safe health checker to tell the CDC about any symptoms your child had after getting the COVID-19 vaccine.
There are no known risks to getting the vaccine after being infected with coronavirus. And, it is thought that people get better protection by being fully vaccinated compared with just having had COVID-19.
Kids and teens are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after completion of their primary vaccine series. However, MaineHealth doctors strongly recommend that kids continue to stay up-to-date with all recommended booster doses.
It is also important to continue practices that help limit the spread of COVID-19. Learn more about what you and your child or teen can do after being fully-vaccinated.
The vaccines are the same but the dosages are lower for children under 12 years old.
Pfizer Age 5 years to under 12 years
- The Pfizer primary vaccine series for this age groups is two doses at one third the strength of adult doses.
Pfizer Age 6 months to under 5 years
- The Pfizer primary vaccine series for this age group is three doses at one tenth the strength of adult doses.
Moderna Age 6 months to under 6 years
- The Moderna primary vaccine series for this age group is two doses at one quarter the strength of adult doses.
View the vaccine fact sheets: