Pediatrics · General Practice · 5 h ago
AAP Updates COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations for Children, 2026–2027
The American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2026–2027 policy statement sets seasonal COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children and adolescents. It recommends vaccination for all children aged 6–23 months and risk-based vaccination for older children, while allowing vaccination for others whose parent or guardian wants protection.
- AAP recommends vaccination for all children aged 6–23 months without contraindications.
- At-risk children aged 2–18 years: one age-appropriate dose.
- Offer one dose to other 2–18-year-olds if requested by parent or guardian.
- Use the most updated available vaccine appropriate to age and health status.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has issued a policy statement updating its recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination to prevent severe disease in infants, children and adolescents during the 2026–2027 season. The statement says the supporting evidence is reviewed in an accompanying technical report; that report and the full policy text were not available in the supplied material.
The AAP recommends that all infants and children aged 6–23 months without contraindications receive the 2026–2027 vaccine. For children and adolescents aged 2–18 years at increased risk of severe COVID-19, it recommends one age-appropriate dose, regardless of prior vaccination status. Those aged 2–18 years who are not considered at increased risk should be offered one dose if their parent or guardian wants them protected. The statement advises using the most updated vaccine available; any vaccine appropriate for the child’s age and health status may be administered.
The recommendations are season-specific and may change as evidence or circulating variants evolve. The supplied abstract does not detail the evidence review, vaccine products or contraindications beyond noting that children with contraindications are excluded from the recommendation for ages 6–23 months.
In practice
For the 2026–2027 season, the AAP recommends COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 6–23 months without contraindications and one age-appropriate dose for children aged 2–18 years at increased risk of severe COVID-19, regardless of prior vaccination. For other children aged 2–18 years, it recommends offering a dose when the parent or guardian desires protection. The statement permits any vaccine appropriate for age and health status and advises using the most updated available version. These are AAP recommendations; the supplied material does not include the supporting technical report or detailed evidence.
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Pediatrics: Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccines in Infants, Children, and Adolescents, 2026–2027: Policy Statement ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.