• Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: What’s the latest on COVID-19 vaccines for children?

a young white schoolgirl in a classroom wearing a backpack, with other students all wearing masks and social distancing

Across much of the U.S., people age 16 and over are now eligible to be vaccinated for COVID-19. But what about younger children?

Children under 16 are not yet eligible to receive any of the COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved for emergency use in adults, and public health experts explain that children will need to be vaccinated for COVID-19 to reach herd immunity and stop the spread of the virus.

Clinical trials in adolescents and young children are underway on Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. This week, Pfizer reported promising early results. Johnson & Johnson also is exploring conducting clinical trials with children. This all begs the question: When will those under 16 be able to be vaccinated for COVID-19?

This edition of the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast features an #AskMayoMom episode hosted by Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic Children's Center. Joining Dr. Mattke to discuss COVID-19, vaccines and children are Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician, and  Dr. Emily Levy, a pediatric critical care and infectious diseases expert — both from Mayo Clinic.