COVID-19

Pregnancy: Recommended (WHO, ACIP).

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines (Comirnaty, Spikevax) are safe and recommended during pregnancy.

• Pregnant women are at increased risk of severe COVID-19, ICU admission, preterm delivery, and maternal death.

• Vaccination during pregnancy provides passive antibody transfer to the neonate.

• Can be administered at any gestational age. No evidence of teratogenicity or adverse pregnancy outcomes in large observational studies (V-safe, VAERS, global registries).

• WHO SAGE and CDC/ACIP both recommend COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant individuals.

Breastfeeding: Safe and recommended.

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines are safe during breastfeeding. mRNA does not enter breast milk in functional form. Antibodies generated by maternal vaccination are detected in breast milk and may provide passive protection to the breastfed infant.

Pediatric use:

• Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech): approved from 6 months of age. Age-adjusted doses:

  • 6 months–4 years: 3 µg (0.2 mL), 3-dose primary series.
  • 5–11 years: 10 µg (0.2 mL).
  • ≥12 years: 30 µg (0.3 mL) — adult dose.

• Spikevax (Moderna): approved from 6 months of age. Age-adjusted doses:

  • 6 months–5 years: 25 µg (0.25 mL), 2-dose series.
  • 6–11 years: 50 µg (0.5 mL).
  • ≥12 years: 50–100 µg — adult dose.

• Annual updated booster formulations target circulating variants.

• Myocarditis risk is lower in children <12 years than in adolescent/young adult males.

Geriatric use: Priority group for vaccination.

• Adults ≥65 years are at highest risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes and are a priority group for vaccination and boosters.

• Immune response may be lower (immunosenescence), hence the recommendation for regular booster doses.

• High-dose and adjuvanted formulations are not available for mRNA vaccines, but additional booster doses compensate.

• Adverse event profile is generally milder in older adults compared to younger recipients (less reactogenicity).

• Annual updated boosters strongly recommended for all adults ≥65 years.