Since the Pfizer vaccine was authorized for everyone 12 and older in May, the New York City Health Department has been working on getting shots into kids’ arms. The Department says it has sought to provide doses to pediatricians’ offices and has encouraged doctors to discuss the shot while conducting back-to-school check-ups.

So far, more than 200,000 New Yorkers under 18, or about 13% of the city’s minors, have received at least one COVID-19 shot. But some parents may still have reservations due to recent reports of adverse vaccine reactions.

For parents who still have lingering questions, we enlisted pediatrician and infectious disease expert Dr. Sean O’Leary, director of the Colorado Pediatric Practice-Based Research Network and vice-chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases, to discuss the risks and benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in greater depth.