Need to Know: COVID-19 Vaccine for Teens & Young Adults

While most adolescents who contract COVID-19 have mild symptoms or have no symptoms, some become severely ill from COVID-19 infection. They may require hospitalization, intensive care, or a ventilator to help them breathe.

The vaccine can protect adolescents against long-term effects of COVID-19, which include:

• Long-term impact on vital organs like the lungs, heart and kidneys as well as the nervous system
• Symptoms that last up to 3 months, which 33% of people who’ve had COVID-19 experience
• Serious risk of neurological or mental health conditions, which happens to 1 in 3 people who’ve had COVID-19

Plus, vaccinated teens may return to most regular activities safely and have less need to quarantine if they’re exposed to COVID-19 and develop no symptoms. The disruptions to normal life COVID-19 have caused can affect adolescent mental health, and the more protected adolescents are and feel they are, the less they may suffer. For guidance on the mental health impacts of COVID-19 on adolescents, the CDC has a parental resource kit here.

COVID-19 vaccines can help keep adolescents from getting seriously sick from COVID-19. It can also help protect family members, including siblings who may not be eligible for vaccination and family members who may be at increased risk of getting very sick if they are infected.

Additionally, vaccines are the best defense against variants of the virus, some of which may be easier to spread or cause worse illness.

There are minor, temporary side effects from the vaccine, though many people don’t experience any. The most common side reported after COVID-19 vaccine are:

• Pain, swelling or redness at the injection site
• Chills
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Muscle or joint pain
• Low fever

Side effects may be more common after the second dose of a 2-dose mRNA vaccine like Pfizer’s.

In rare cases, some young people have experienced myocarditis/pericarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) following COVID-19 mRNA (Pfizer, Moderna) vaccination. These occur most often in males and are typically mild and not life-threatening. Myocarditis is being reported at a rate of 9.1 cases amongst females and 66.7 cases per one million doses administered amongst males after second dose mRNA vaccination in those between the ages of 12 and 17 years old. Myocarditis has also been reported after COVID-19 infection. Rates of myocarditis after a third dose is likely lower than what is seen after second doses.

Overall, the benefits of getting vaccinated against COVID-19 far outweigh the risks. Almost all hospitalizations and deaths in recent months have happened to people who weren’t vaccinated.

Vaccines may be administered at:

• Family practices
• Pediatric clinics
• Local public health departments
• Pharmacies

Availability and locations will be specific to where you live. Visit Vaccines.gov to find a location near you or call the North Dakota Department of Health Hotline at 1.866.207.2880 for help.

COVID-19 vaccines are free. However, healthcare providers may charge a fee for giving the shot. If you have questions about costs, contact your healthcare provider. Such fees will be covered by your health insurance. If you do not have insurance and can’t pay the fee, you can’t be refused the vaccine.