Do my children need the updated COVID booster? Dr. Mallika Marshall answers your questions
BOSTON - Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your medical questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or Twitter.
Lauren in Revere writes, "I have two healthy kids, ages 2 and 7. They were vaccinated early on but do they really need to get this new updated booster?"
The CDC recommends the updated COVID-19 vaccine for all kids 6 months and older. The agency said children 5 and older should receive at least one dose of the updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccines and those 6 months up to 4 years get two doses of either vaccine.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, more than half of all American children 6 months and older have not received even one COVID-19 shot, yet perfectly healthy children can get really sick from COVID-19. And for parents who worry about the potential side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines, like inflammation of the heart, your child is much more likely to get heart inflammation and heart complications from getting COVID than from getting the vaccine.
Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health.