According to Johns Hopkins University and University of Washington children and adolescents need to be at the center of COVID-19 immunization efforts and with related public information.
The reason for focusing on younger people, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in broad social, educational, developmental, mental health, safety and nutritional issues for children.
The discussion acknowledges that while illness and deaths from COVID-19 have been significantly less common for young people than adults, the scope of the pandemic can be a serious and life-threatening disease in children. The effect of this may lead to lasting health consequences.
In the U.S., only one vaccine has received emergency use authorization for those ages 12 to 15. In addition, while two vaccine trials are underway for those ages 5 to 11, an array of regulatory issues and emerging safety concerns may significantly slow these studies and the eventual rollout of COVID-19 vaccines for children.
Trials undertaken within Europe have shown a suitable indication for the COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty for use in children aged 12 to 15. The vaccine is already approved for use in adults and adolescents aged 16 and above. This vaccine contains messenger RNA (mRNA) with instructions for producing a spike protein, naturally present in SARS-CoV-2. The vaccine works by preparing the body to defend itself against SARS-CoV-2.
Some health policy makers are of the view that vaccination will need to be considered for children with severe neuro-disabilities. This includes children who tend to get recurrent respiratory tract infections and who frequently spend time in specialised residential care settings for children with complex needs.
On a larger scale, prior toCOVID-19 vaccines becoming available for younger children, clinical trials need to be completed. These trials are to ensure candidate vaccines are safe and effective for these age groups. The additional concern arises because it cannot be assumed that a vaccine will have the same effect on a child as it does for someone who is older.
For these reasons, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Washington are hosting a symposium to discuss the effect of COVID-19 on youth and the role pediatric vaccines may play in the COVID-19 response.
The focus is on the pandemic’s effect on school-age children, particularly 5-to-12-year-olds and their families and the current state of play in youth vaccine development exploring both efficacy and safety issues. The inquiry will also focus on what is known about safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines in children and adolescents aged 12-15.
For young people in the next age bracket, Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said that high school students across the country should be able to get a vaccine in the autumn.
