COVID-19 Vaccine Approved For Children 6 Months and Older

On June 18, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older. This announcement came the day after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized emergency use of the lower dose Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children 6 months through 4 years old. These lower dose vaccines are already being shipped to health care providers and pharmacies. To locate a vaccination site, click here. 

In April 2022, a Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) poll of parents with children aged 6 months to 4 years old indicated that 18% planned to vaccinate their child when it became available, 38% would wait and see, 27% were not planning to vaccinate their child, and 11% would get their child the vaccine only if it was required. One barrier for children to get vaccinated is that there are fewer locations than for adults. Of particular concern are the results of a KFF poll from December 2021 which indicated that families who are Hispanic, Black, and low income have additional barriers for accessing vaccines including the need to miss work, less access to trusted providers, and difficulty traveling to vaccination locations.

In Pennsylvania, Medicaid (also known as Medical Assistance) covers testing, treatment, and vaccination for COVID-19. There are no co-pays for children. If you need help getting you and your child to a vaccine appointment, the Medical Assistance Transportation Program (MATP) provides free transportation to medical appointments for people on Medicaid. If you are having trouble accessing COVID-19 services and treatments, call PHLP’s Helpline at 1-800-274-3258 or email us at staff@phlp.org.