The U.S. FDA authorized the Pfizer vaccine for children 12 to 15 years old under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), meaning the vaccine was proven safe and effective for this age group. The vaccine has since received full FDA approval. The most commonly reported side effects in the adolescent clinical trial participants, which typically lasted 1-3 days, were pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, chills, muscle pain, fever and joint pain. With the exception of pain at the injection site, more adolescents reported these side effects after the second dose than after the first dose.
Learn more about COVID-19 vaccine side effects in children and teens.