The new COVID-19 Moderna XBB monovalent vaccine is now available in our office for all children 6 months old through 11 years of age!

• Remember that COVID-19 vaccines can be given with other routine childhood immunizations and the influenza vaccine at the same time.
• Your child should be immunized with the vaccine that is appropriate for their age.  For example, if a child is 11 years old for their first COVID vaccine, but turns 12 before the second, then they should get the 5-11 year old vaccine for the first dose and the 12+ yo vaccine for the second.  There is no benefit or increased immunity associated with waiting to get a “larger” dose.
• When should my child get a COVID-19 XBB monovalent vaccine?
  Those:6 months through 4 years of age who have never had a COVID vaccine need
     two doses of the (new XBB Moderna) vaccine 1 month (4 weeks) between the two doses
• 6 months through 4 years of age who have had one previous (Moderna) vaccine need
  one dose of the (new XBB Moderna) vaccine 1 month (4 weeks) after their last dose
• 6 months through 4 years of age who have had 2 doses of COVID-19 vaccine need
     one dose of the new XBB vaccine 2+ months after their last dose
• 5 years of age and up (regardless of previous number of vaccines) need
  one dose of the new XBB vaccine (2+ months after their last dose if they had one)
  
• 6 months of age and up who recently had a COVID-19 infection should get the new XBB vaccine (whether the first one or a booster) 3+ months after their infection(Please note that there is a different primary schedule for the Pfizer vaccine, but booster doses are interchangeable between the Moderna and Pfizer products.)

The overarching goal is for all our children to get vaccinated, so feel free to make an appointment at any of the following sites: Here is the link to the vaccine clinic at UVA’s Children’s Hospital. Here is the link to BRHD vaccination sites. Here is the link to the national vaccine finder for other resources anywhere in the United States.

• Please see the links below for more information as to why we feel these immunizations are important as well as details about the vaccines themselves. Brown University School of Public Health Info Sheet on COVID-19 Vaccines for Children 6 Months to 4 Years Old “My Toddlers Already Had COVID-19. I’m Still Getting Them Vaccinated Right Away”(Time Magazine, 6/18/2022)

All of us at Piedmont Pediatrics believe that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and extremely effective and we recommend that all eligible children (6 months of age and up) get immunized.

Excellent information about the COVID infection in children and the safety and efficacy of these vaccines can be found at this link (thanks to @unbiasedscipod for their help educating all our families)