COVID-19 vaccination and teenagers

COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for teenagers

In Australia, COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for children aged 5 years and older.

For children aged 12 years and older, there are 2 COVID-19 vaccines registered for use:

Pfizer – 2 doses, 3-6 weeks apart
Moderna – 2 doses, 4-6 weeks apart.

Booster doses aren’t currently recommended for children aged 12-15 years. For children aged 16-17, a single booster dose of Pfizer is recommended at least 3 months after the first 2 doses of either of the vaccines above.

For teenagers with weak immune systems, the recommendation is 3 doses. In addition to the 3 doses, a booster dose of Pfizer is also recommended for teenagers in this group who are aged 16-17 years.

This article is about COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 12 years and older. COVID-19 vaccination recommendations for younger children are different. For 5 year-olds, the recommendation is vaccination with 2 smaller doses of the Pfizer vaccine. For children aged 5-11 years, the recommendation is 2 smaller doses of either Pfizer or Moderna. The doses are usually 8 weeks apart.

Why COVID-19 vaccination is important for teenagers

COVID-19 vaccination prevents teenagers from getting very sick, being admitted to intensive care, or dying because of COVID-19. It also reduces their chance of getting long-term symptoms.

When teenagers get vaccinated, they also help to protect people who are at risk of getting very sick if they get COVID-19, and people who can’t be vaccinated, like younger children or people with complex medical needs.

If fewer people get sick or very sick from COVID-19, teenagers can go school, see their friends and do extracurricular and other community activities like school excursions and sport. There’s less strain on our health and hospital system. And it reduces the mental health problems associated with being in isolation or lockdown.

COVID-19 vaccination safety and effectiveness for teenagers

Global clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines have included people aged 12-17 years. To date, there have been no concerns about the effectiveness or safety of the vaccines for this age group.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is continually checking that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and working the way they’re supposed to for teenagers across the world.

For more information on where and how your teenage child can get vaccinated, go to Australian Government Department of Health – Getting your COVID-19 vaccination. You can also check your state or territory government or health website.

COVID-19 vaccination side effects

COVID-19 vaccines are safe. Like all medicines, they can still have side effects.

Common, mild side effects
Pain or swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, fever, chills and joint pain are common and mild side effects of all vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines. These side effects last only 1-2 days.

Rare side effects
Anaphylaxis is a possible but very rare side effect of all vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines. Immunisation providers monitor everyone for signs of anaphylaxis for 15 minutes following vaccination.

If your child has a history of anaphylactic reactions to vaccines or to the ingredients in the COVID-19 vaccines, talk with your GP or allergy and immunology specialist before vaccination.

Myocarditis and pericarditis are other possible but rare side effects of COVID-19 vaccination with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Myocarditis is more common after a second dose, and it’s more likely to happen in teenage boys than other people. These conditions are usually mild, and people usually recover well from them.

If your child has or has had recent myocarditis, pericarditis, acute heart failure, acute rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease, talk to your child’s medical specialist before vaccination.

In the weeks after your child’s vaccination, you should seek urgent medical attention if your child has any of the following – chest pain, shortness of breath, awareness of their heartbeat, or feelings of faintness. Take your child to your GP or a hospital emergency department as soon as possible.

Questions about COVID-19 vaccination and teenagers: what to do

It’s OK to be careful about getting your child vaccinated. If you have questions about side effects or the safety of COVID-19 vaccination, talk with a health professional like your GP or your immunisation provider. These professionals are trustworthy sources of information and can address your concerns.

It’s also essential to get information from reliable and trustworthy online sources. Sources like government websites or the World Health Organization have information that’s based on scientific research. This means you can rely on what they say.

As your child’s main role model, you can influence the way your child feels about vaccination. If you’re positive about COVID-19 vaccination, this can help your child feel positive too.

Talking with teenagers about COVID-19 vaccination

Many teenagers will be relieved and keen to get vaccinated. But some teenagers might feel anxious and unsure.

You can help your child feel confident and comfortable about getting a COVID-19 vaccination by talking with them about vaccination facts and their feelings. Here are some ideas to help:

Listen actively to your child’s concerns.
Answer your child’s questions openly, honestly and factually. Be calm, positive and reassuring.
If you don’t know the answer to a question, suggest checking some reliable and trustworthy sources together.
Talk about why it’s essential to get information about COVID-19 and vaccination from reliable and trustworthy sources.
Share your own feelings and experiences. For example, ‘Yes, I got a headache and felt a bit tired, but I was fine again the next day. Getting COVID-19 can make you a lot sicker than that’.
Emphasise why vaccination is good. For example, ‘If we get vaccinated, we help to protect Kobi, who can’t get vaccinated yet’. Or ‘The sooner we all get vaccinated, the sooner we can get back to our lives. I know it’s been hard for you not being able to go to gymnastics training’.
Encourage your child to speak to your GP about their concerns.
Take a break from the conversation if things get tense or your child gets upset. You and your child can talk about the issues again when you’re both calm.

If your teenage child has disability, autism or other additional needs, they might need developmentally appropriate information. You could ask your child’s health or disability professional to help you develop something specific for your child.

Vaccination consent laws vary across states and territories. In general, a parent or legal guardian can provide consent for vaccination on behalf of their teenage child. In some circumstances, teenagers might be able to provide consent without a parent or legal guardian. You can check what laws apply to you and your child with your local health authority. If your child refuses vaccination, it’s important to respect your child’s wishes and not vaccinate until they’re ready.

Vaccination and needle phobia

If your child is nervous about needles or has a needle phobia, here are some things they can do to get through vaccinations:

Do breathing exercises or relaxation exercises. Your child can practise these strategies before getting vaccinated and do them while getting vaccinated.
Distract themselves during the vaccination by listening to music or watching a video on a tablet or phone.
Consider an anaesthetic cream or gel to numb the injection area. You or your child can ask the immunisation provider beforehand whether these are available at the vaccine clinic. If they’re not, you can get them at a pharmacy and take them to the clinic yourself.
Get vaccinated at a GP clinic or pharmacy. These settings might be more private and comfortable for your child.
Contact your immunisation provider without your child present. They can talk with you about the best way to get your child vaccinated.
Be patient with your child. If you’re feeling frustrated, try to keep this to yourself.

Some teenagers with severe needle phobia might need to see a psychologist or hypnotherapist to work through their phobia. In some circumstances, you might need to consider sedation for the vaccination – for example, if your child is autistic or has an intellectual disability and finds vaccination very difficult. Talk to your GP about whether these options might be suitable for your child.

Other protective measures against COVID-19

All teenagers should take simple protective measures against COVID-19, regardless of whether they’re vaccinated. These measures include:

maintaining physical distancing, including staying 1.5-2 m away from people you don’t live with if you can
washing hands and using personal hygiene
wearing face masks if recommended or required by your state or territory health authorities
following COVID-19 lockdown and other rules as required by your state or territory health authorities.

You and your child’s other parent might have different opinions about vaccination. A problem-solving approach can help you work through your differences and find the best outcome for your child.