Primary care is the ideal setting to promote COVID-19 vaccination for children

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been labelled a “generation-defining disruption”, particularly for children. Risk of severe acute COVID-19 for children has been low compared with adults; particularly in Australia where comprehensive public health measures have mitigated viral spread ahead of high vaccination rates. However, COVID-19 has also had broader unintentional impacts on children's development and mental health via social isolation, school disruption, and increased worry or fear. Vaccination against COVID-19 is an important strategy to minimise disease impact and reduce ongoing disruptions for children. Comirnaty (Pfizer–BioNTech) and Spikevax (Moderna) have been approved for paediatric use in Australia; both have been found to be effective for children, with rare risk of severe acute side effects. General practice, which delivers about 83% of recommended childhood vaccinations in Australia, has been shown to be an ideal setting to also promote childhood COVID-19 vaccination.