Side Effects For Kids' COVID Vaccine? Dr. Mallika Marshall Answers Your Questions
BOSTON (CBS) — Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your coronavirus vaccine-related medical questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or Twitter.
Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health.
I'm 59 years old and got COVID last year for Christmas. Worst gift ever! I got the Pfizer vaccine in April. Do I need a booster? I've never been so sick in my entire life and don't want it ever again. - Karolee
Dr. Mallika - Even if you've had COVID in the past, if you're 65 and older, or have certain underlying conditions, it is still recommended that you get a booster shot 6 months after your second Pfizer dose. If you're otherwise healthy, you do not have to get a booster at this time, but I think boosters will eventually be offered to everyone 18 and older.
What side effects are you seeing most often with kids ages 5-11 who just received their first dose of the vaccine? - Alexis, Watertown
Dr. Mallika - From what I have heard from friends and colleagues, kids seem to be tolerating the shots quite well. Remember, the dose is a third of that given to teens and adults so we would expect milder side effects. That said, don't be surprised if your child develops arm pain, body aches, chills, fever, or fatigue. That wouldn't be unusual, it's not dangerous, and those symptoms resolve within a couple of days.
My granddaughter will be 12 in four months. If she gets the shots for the 5 to 11 age group, will she need some kind of booster when she turns 12? - Jim
Dr. Mallika - No, she will not need a booster if she gets her vaccine doses before her 12th birthday. Children may require boosters sometime down the road, much like we get annual flu shots.
I have been going to the same barber for 20 years and really like him. I am fully vaccinated with a booster. Unfortunately, this barber had COVID and does not plan to get vaccinated. Is it time for me to find a new barber? - CJ
Dr. Mallika - I think if you're both masked and you're fully vaccinated and boosted, you should be pretty well protected from contracting the virus, even if your barber happens to be infected at the time he's cutting your hair. Of course, he probably has some immunity against COVID-19 since he was previously infected, but that immunity will weaken over time, and we now know that vaccination provides greater protection than prior infection.