Summary of Recommendations

Document Overview

Design and created by Guideline Central in participation with the American Academy of Pediatrics.

COVID-19 Vaccines in Infants, Children, and Adolescents

American Academy of Pediatrics

Publication Date: Aug 19, 2025

Page Last Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Document Overview

Document Title: COVID-19 Vaccines in Infants, Children, and Adolescents

Authoring Society: American Academy of Pediatrics

Document Publication Date: Aug 19, 2025

Page Last Reviewed/Updated: Jul 8, 2026

Document Type: Consensus Statement

Country of Publication: United States

Full Text Freely Available: Yes

Full Text Guideline: publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/doi/10.1542/peds.2025-073924/203222/Recommendations-for-COVID-19-Vaccines-in-Infants

Source Citation: American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases. Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccines in Infants, Children, and Adolescents: Policy Statement. Pediatrics. 2025; doi: 10.1542/peds.2025-073924

Document Scope, Criteria, and Use Cases

Document Objectives: This policy statement updates the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for the use of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in the prevention of severe COVID-19 in children. These COVID-19 vaccine recommendations may change in future seasons or as additional variants emerge. These recommendations for the use of 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine are contingent upon the approval by the US Food and Drug Administration of updated COVID-19 vaccine products. COVID-19 continues to be a cause of hospitalization and death in the pediatric population. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective in protecting individuals and populations against serious outcomes associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, including post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C).

Scope: Management, Prevention

Diseases/Conditions (MeSH)

D000086382 - COVID-19

D000086663 - COVID-19 Vaccines

Keywords: COVID-19 in children, COVID-19 vaccines, covid-19

Inclusion Criteria: Male, Female, Adolescent, Child, Infant

Health Care Settings: Ambulatory, Childcare Center, School

Intended Users: Community Pharmacist, Health-Systems Pharmacist, Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Physician, Physician Assistant

Recommendation Development Processes & Methodology

Number of Source Documents: 18

Includes peer/external review process?: Yes

Includes public comment process?: No

Methodologist involvement?: No

Patient involvement?: No

Includes multi-disciplinary group?: Yes

Includes systematic review?: No

Grades quality of strength of evidence?: No

Grades quality of strength of recommendation?: No

Discloses funding source?: Yes

Discloses conflicts of interest?: Yes