The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided more data that the bivalent booster shots to protect against COVID-19 are safe for children ages 6 months to 5 years.
In a report released last week, CDC experts reviewed the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, and found that between June 2022 and May 2023, the vast majority of reports for young children involved only mild and temporary symptoms in reaction to vaccines. More than a third reported no reaction to the shot. About 550,000 bivalent shots were administered to the age group during the time period, and of that group, eight parents reported serious complications. Those were further reviewed by CDC physicians.
“All children aged 6 months–5 years are recommended to receive at least 1 bivalent dose and might need multiple COVID-19 vaccine doses depending on their age and COVID-19 vaccination history,” the CDC wrote in its report. Monovalent vaccines have ceased to be offered in place of the more relevant bivalent shot.
