My state recently announced that COVID-19 vaccines will be available to everyone on April 1. That means everyone, of course, who is 16 years or older. Children so far are not recommended to have COVID vaccines.  Soon, however, children will be eligible. States are even considering COVID vaccines as a requirement for school enrollment in the fall.

Because of the social and cultural impact of the pandemic,  all aspects of this new disease, including vaccines, can be a source of worry for children. That’s why I worked with my illustrator, Kary Lee, and publisher, Blair, to create a sequel to the book COVID-19 Helpers.

This new book, titled Helping Our World Get Well: Covid Vaccines begins where the first book left off. It focuses on a youngster who is wary of getting the vaccine—she’s worried about the needle, the pain, the changes it may cause. In this authentic and lyrical story, we follow this one child’s experience leading up to the big shot.  Ultimately, this girl learns how her individual vaccine can contribute to helping the whole world get past this pandemic.

One of the reasons vaccines are a source of concern for children is that there are so many questions about this vaccine and its fast-paced development process. Here are a few questions and answers:

Why make kids wait for a vaccine, why not vaccinate them with the adults?

The new COVID-19 vaccines have not been authorized for children because clinical tests have so far been completed on grown-ups only. That means there’s not yet any good data for the efficacy in the youth population.  But tests are being conducted now and the results are coming soon.

What is the difference between an adult vaccine and a children’s vaccine?

Children’s bodies are smaller and doses affect them differently. The vaccines won’t be qualitatively different but the doses may vary.

My child is wary of getting a vaccine. What can I do?

It’s always helpful to children if a grown-up gives them their full attention. Make time to have a thoughtful converstaion.—a true talking and listening session. If you’re not sure what to say, read them a book like Helping Our World Get Well: Covid Vaccines. Then ask the child to talk about their feelings, their fears, their questions and their hopes. Even if you don’t have a lot of answers, just giving them your attention can go a long way to making them feel comforted and secure.