Recommended immunizations for young children include:
Flu
- Everyone 6 months of age and older needs protection against flu! Children 6 months to 8 years of age who are getting flu vaccine for the first time or have only gotten one dose prior to this season need 2 doses at least 4 weeks apart for full protection. Make sure they schedule the 2nd dose before leaving the clinic!
COVID-19
- Everyone 6 months and older should get at least 1 dose of the 2024 – 2025 updated COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on vaccination history, children 6 months to 4 years of age may need additional doses to complete the initial series.
RSV
- Infants under 8 months of age need immunization from October 1 to March 31 to protect against RSV. Some children 8 months – 19 months may also be eligible for RSV immunization if they are at high risk.
All three immunizations may be administered together at the same visit for eligible patients. Consider using these template robocall and email messages in English/Spanish to recall pediatric patients for these immunizations.
Here are some responses to commonly asked questions and concerns:
- Are RSV, flu, and COVID-19 immunizations safe for my child?
Yes, immunizations are safe! The real risk to your child is getting those diseases. Even babies and young children who are generally healthy can get very sick and even need to be hospitalized from these respiratory illnesses. Millions of people have been vaccinated safely, and all vaccines continue to be rigorously monitored to ensure they are safe for everyone.
- Why should my child get these immunizations?
These immunizations can keep your child from getting very sick and even being hospitalized from these diseases. Being immunized against these diseases will also help your child stay healthy and avoid missed childcare and school days.
- My child has already been immunized against COVID-19. Do they really need to get vaccinated again this year?
Absolutely! Viruses change often, and the COVID-19 vaccine has been updated to help protect against the most common strains of COVID-19 currently spreading.
- My child got immunized last year and still got sick. Why bother getting vaccinated this year?
Immunizations do not prevent all infections, but immunizations can protect against severe complications from an infection.
Check out these Tips for Speaking with Parents about Flu Vaccine (Spanish), CDC’s Flu Guide for Parents (Spanish), and COVID-19 Vaccine Safety FAQs to help you address additional vaccine concerns by parents.
Let’s keep kids healthy, so they can keep growing, learning, and thriving!
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