Vaccines play a critical role in preventing serious illness and death from infectious diseases. The CDC-ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) recommends a vaccine schedule for the civilian US population, including recommendations that pertain to adolescents and young adults.
Receipt of recommended vaccinations has dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic across all populations.
As of May 10, 2021, United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to three vaccines shown to be effective at preventing severe COVID-19 infection. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is authorized for adolescents and young adults aged 12-years and older, while the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are available for those aged 18-years and older. The CDC now supports the co-administration of COVID-19 vaccines with other vaccines with no regard to timing. Additional details may be found here.
Vaccine details, including the Food and Drug Administration’s EUAs, can be found on the CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine information page.
The CDC also offers a wealth of guidance, information and resources to facilitate receipt of COVID-related vaccines and ensure that people of all ages are up to date on their regular vaccine schedule. A vaccine home page serves as a portal to many more pages. The information changes frequently. A few pages are highlighted here:
- A COVID-19 vaccine resource page for children and teens.
- Immunization schedule change page with schedule changes and guidance for immunizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Toolkits for specific populations, including adolescents and young adults.
- V-Safe, a health tracker offered by the CDC that includes a system for adolescents and young adults to report vaccine side effects.
More vaccine promotion and communication materials, including resources to address so-called “vaccine hesitancy” through building trustworthy health care and public health systems:
- Unity Consortium’s vaccine resource page features resources for parents, healthcare providers, and adolescents and young adults, including a new advocacy toolkit, Don’t Wait, Vaccinate.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics has compiled an immunization campaign toolkit to help promote all immunizations during the pandemic.
- The Public Health Institute’s communication guide for promoting COVID-19 vaccines emphasizes addressing systemic racial and other inequities.
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Guide for health care professionals, focused on fostering vaccine confidence.
- The NIH has also formed a community engagement alliance to support communities hit hardest by COVID-19.
- The Ad Council has developed an initiative on COVID-19 vaccine education, featuring population-specific toolkits and messaging guides.
- The University of Florida guide to COVID-19 Vaccine Communications emphasizing trust building with the community.
- National Institute for Health Care Management led a webinar on systemic racism, health, and COVID-19.
Additional details on available COVID-19 vaccines, including vaccine distribution, can be found below:
- The New England Journal of Medicine has launched a COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Center featuring a collection of resources on COVID-19 vaccines, FAQ’s, continuing medical education, and published research.
- The National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation has launched a COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution, Health Disparities & Resources portal featuring updates on a number of distribution efforts.
Updated July 13, 2021
