AAP has developed one-page immunization fact sheets intended to supplement, but not replace, the CDC Vaccine Information Statements (VISs) for vaccines given to children. VISs are required by federal law to be provided for all vaccines covered by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, which includes all vaccines routinely recommended for children or during pregnancy.
The fact sheets, some of which are available in Spanish, can be downloaded at no cost from the AAP website at www.aap.org/en/patient-care/immunizations/immunization-fact-sheets/.
Last reviewed:
September 23, 2026
All COVID-19 vaccines are administered intramuscularly. The 2026–2027 products are only available in the United States in manufacturer-filled syringes, with the exception of single-dose vials of Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech) formulation for children age 5 through 11 years.
Last reviewed:
October 18, 2026
Yes. CDC published an appendix to its interim clinical considerations for the use of COVID-19 vaccines to address a wide range of errors in vaccine administration. It includes a detailed table outlining actions to take after an error has occurred: www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/vaccine-considerations/appendices.html.
Categories of errors covered in the CDC table include:
- Site/route
- Age
- Product and dosage
- Storage and handling
- Incorrect intervals
- Interchanging product types when not recommended
When an error occurs, the patient should be informed of the error, the clinical staff should evaluate why the error occurred, and should implement strategies to prevent future errors. CDC encourages reporting administration errors to VAERS (https://vaers.hhs.gov), whether or not an adverse event occurred. Follow error-specific guidance on whether and when to repeat the dose.
Last reviewed:
October 18, 2026
If exactly half the required volume was given, CDC allows the other half to be administered on the same clinic day and the two injections to count as one dose. If the error cannot be corrected on the same clinic day, a full repeat dose should be given as soon as feasible. CDC’s error guidance also allows consideration of an 8-week interval before a repeat dose for people age 6 months through 64 years who are not moderately or severely immunocompromised, to potentially reduce the rare myocarditis risk. For guidance on a range of dosing errors, refer to CDC at www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/vaccine-considerations/appendices.html.
Last reviewed:
October 18, 2026
No. CDC does not recommend repeating the dose of any COVID-19 vaccine in circumstances where the dose is administered in an incorrect route or an incorrect site (i.e., not in the deltoid or anterolateral thigh). In the case of a subcutaneous injection, the patient should be advised of the possibility of self-limited local or systemic side effects.
Last reviewed:
October 18, 2026
Providing a vaccine recipient with a COVID-19 vaccine VIS is recommended by CDC but not required. The requirement to provide the VIS to a patient is present only when a vaccine is included in the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). COVID-19 vaccines are not included in the VICP at this time. The current official VIS and all available translations are available from Immunize.org: www.immunize.org/vaccines/vis/covid-19/.
Last reviewed:
October 18, 2026
Last reviewed:
January 9, 2026
Vaccinating people against influenza who have recently tested positive for COVID-19 involves multiple considerations, such as whether vaccinating them could expose others to COVID-19, how sick they are, their risk for severe influenza illness, the ability to vaccinate at a later date, and the desire to avoid confusing postvaccination symptoms with those of COVID-19. Usually, people who are known to be infectious should not be brought to a vaccination setting if doing so could expose others to COVID-19. Any moderate or severe acute illness is a precaution to influenza vaccination: vaccination should generally be deferred until recovery. For people with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19, delaying vaccination also might be considered to avoid confusing COVID-19 symptoms with postvaccination reactions.
Last reviewed:
October 18, 2026
