COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – With the first shipments of COVID-19 vaccines for children younger than 5 years old expected to arrive this week, medical experts are encouraging parents to take steps to protect their children.

Health officials have greenlit the Pfizer vaccine for children six months to four years old, and Moderna for those six months to five years old.

Experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital said they will begin administering shots in the coming days.

Pfizer’s vaccine will be a three-dose series, with each dose 1/10of the adult version; Moderna’s vaccine will be two doses, each ¼ of an adult dose.

Experts want to assure parents that the data shows the vaccines are safe.

“You know, you may see fevers, or you may see some chills, maybe just generally feeling unwell, fatigue, and that acute illness that seems to last for about 24 hours,” said Dr. Michael Storey with Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Some patients will see that. There are some other patients that actually will not see that. We actually see, in some cases, lower rates of some of those side effects in this population that we saw with some of the older populations.”

Experts said if you are planning on getting your children vaccinated, check with your child’s pediatrician about when and which shot is appropriate for them.