These messages are intended to help business leaders facilitate conversations with employees about the safety and benefits of vaccination for children. 

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective and are now authorized for children ages 5 and older.

Based on data from thousands of children who participated in clinical trials, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 and older. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommend that all children and adolescents ages 5 and older get vaccinated as soon as possible in order to protect themselves and prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others. Clinical trials are currently underway regarding the potential use of COVID-19 vaccines for children under age 5.

Children can be infected with COVID-19 and should be protected.

Based on data from thousands of children who participated in clinical trials, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5 and older. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommend that all children and adolescents ages 5 and older get vaccinated as soon as possible in order to protect themselves and prevent the spread of COVID-19 to others. Clinical trials are currently underway regarding the potential use of COVID-19 vaccines for children under age 5.

COVID-19 vaccines for children can help everyone get back to the things we love.

Being vaccinated will allow kids to get back to, and hold onto, the things they have missed: uninterrupted in-person learning, playing with friends, and participating in sports and enrichment activities. Vaccinated individuals have a very low risk of contracting COVID-19 or spreading it to others, which adds a layer of protection for unvaccinated people around them—including younger siblings and other children who are not currently eligible.

Get your children vaccinated at your earliest opportunity.

Children ages 5 and older are eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. It’s important to get them vaccinated as soon as possible, especially to prevent any infection over the winter holidays.

Make sure your children are up to date on other routine immunizations to protect them, your family and your community.

If we have high vaccination rates in every community, we are able to keep diseases and viruses from spreading throughout the U.S. The CDC is warning that we are at risk of a potentially severe flu season in 2021-2022, but all people can receive a COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot at the same time.

Widespread vaccination is a critical tool to stop the pandemic, safely keep schools open and prevent parents from missing work.

Now that youth ages 5 and older are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines, we must work together to make sure parents who choose to vaccinate their children are fully supported.

Communications Tips

As a trusted source of information, employers can share facts about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for adolescents ages 5 and older, as well as the safety and benefits of other routine immunizations for children of all ages. There are many ways to communicate with your employees about the safety and benefits of childhood vaccination. Here are some strategies you might consider:

• Leverage a wide array of communications channels to reach your employees and workers, such as your company email, newsletter, home mailer or company intranet. Here’s a sample vaccine fact sheet you can use.
• Utilize our Key Messages to craft a letter from your CEO or other trusted leader in your organization.
• Share our answers to frequently asked questions and videos from trusted messengers such as the American Academy of Pediatrics.
• Parents’ biggest fear in choosing to vaccinate their children is safety. Dispel myths and misinformation by sharing the American Academy of Pediatrics “Ask a Pediatrician” resources.
• Host a company-wide town hall meeting, either in person or virtually, with a pediatrician or vaccine expert to answer questions and concerns your employees may have in getting their children immunized. For assistance in connecting with a local pediatrician, email us at hello@healthaction.org
• Engage employee resource groups and informal networks of parents within your workforce to have trusted conversations about the safety and benefits of vaccines for children.