COVID Family Resource Guide - Motherly
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The Latest COVID Information & Resources for Your Family

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More than two years into navigating the pandemic, we know that parents still have a lot of questions about COVID and what it means for our children and families. We partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to share the latest guidelines and resources that will help parents navigate this new normal.

Resources to Keep Your Family Healthy

Everyone 6 months and older should get a COVID vaccine. CDC approved COVID vaccines for children as young as 6 months in mid-June. To date, more than 10 million children ages 5 to 11 have gotten COVID vaccines, which has helped prevent hospitalizations in children. We’ll show you how to schedule a vaccination appointment near you, learn more about COVID vaccines for kids, and get answers from doctors on your most frequently asked questions. 

Dr. Harmon
Dr. Grant
Dr. Moira
HHS DrAda Motherly

“Unfortunately, no. We have seen instances of COVID in infants, in children one or two years of age, and all ages. Unfortunately, with kids back in school, they’re interacting with children who have not been vaccinated. So, I am seeing children almost daily who have COVID.”

– Dr. Harmon

“That’s a common question. People come to me and say, my kid has already had it, so they don’t need a vaccine. But the science shows that natural immunity – having had the disease – is still not enough. When your child got COVID, they still might not have had enough of the virus in their system to stimulate the immune system to produce protective antibodies — definitely not in the way a vaccine would. A COVID vaccine can help give kids further protection.”

– Dr. Harmon

“I think there’s an independent streak in a lot of folks these days. So, my job as a frontline health care worker is to help people understand that this is something that’s more than a mandate from big government–it is something that public health is recommending. I’d try to gently remind them that experts in the field are recommending it based on the data and the science above all else.”

– Dr. Harmon

“It is extremely unlikely that your child will have long-term health effects from vaccines. Millions of people have received COVID vaccines and boosters without experiencing serious, long-term health effects from them. And there is zero evidence that vaccines cause fertility problems in males or females. The very real risks of getting COVID far outweigh the very minimal risk of serious vaccine side effects.”

– Dr. Grant

“Currently, CDC recommends a COVID booster for everyone 5 and older. They should get their booster 5 months after their second shot. Getting a COVID booster extends your kids’ protection and keeps them safer from emerging variants. Plus, it gives you the confidence to let them go to things like movies or birthday parties without having to worry about them getting seriously ill.”

– Dr. Grant

“Apart from the fact that we’ve seen lots of kids hospitalized due to COVID and we’ve seen deaths. We also know that children, even those who have had asymptomatic infection, can end up with long COVID, they can end up with something called multi-system inflammatory syndrome, and they can end up with myocarditis. And while those numbers are small, they’re very real.”

– Dr. Szilagyi

“Well, the vaccine is like a car seat or a seatbelt. You’d never leave the driveway without putting your kid in one, so this a lot like that. It’s here to protect from the bad things that hopefully never happen, but occasionally can. It’s an extra layer of protection that helps them go out and be kids. Safely.”

– Dr. Szilagyi

“It’s true that breakthrough cases do happen, but the vaccines were developed to prevent the most serious outcomes from COVID – severe illness, hospitalization and death – in all age groups. Data from the most recent study suggests that 2-dose vaccination could prevent up to 74% of hospitalizations from the Omicron variant in children ages 5-11.”

– Dr. Stewart

“Yes! Getting vaccinated during pregnancy lowers your risk of hospitalization from COVID – and it may do the same for your baby during their first months of life.”

– Dr. Stewart

1 in 5

It’s a good idea to have an honest talk about the risks of being unvaccinated. Nearly 1 in 5 COVID cases in the United States have been in children under 18. There were 5,000 child hospitalizations in one week during Omicron, with the overwhelming majority being children who were not vaccinated. It also may reassure parents to know that doctors are nearly unanimous in their support of the vaccine.

2X more

The latest data show that 2X more children in the United States ages 5-11 who were unvaccinated were being hospitalized with COVID than those children in that age group who were vaccinated. Adolescents ages 12 through 17 who were unvaccinated were nearly twice as likely as adolescents who were vaccinated to be hospitalized with COVID.

27 million

More than 27 million children 5 and older have been vaccinated, so we’ve seen a lot of data and we can say confidently that the vaccines are safe and effective for kids. In addition, parents should know - these are the most closely safety-monitored vaccines in U.S. history.

Ready to take the step to get you or your loved one vaccinated?

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Navigating COVID While Parenting

After living with the COVID pandemic for over two years, we’re all eager to reclaim a sense of normalcy. Especially during these special years of growth and development for our kids, we know that finding ways to safely engage in social activities, travel as a family, and more is on the top of parents’ minds. From questions about pediatric vaccines to unique COVID symptoms for kids, here is the most up-to-date information and expert-backed advice that will help you make the best choices for your family.
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