Are the COVID-19 vaccines safe for children? what parents should know

The FDA has already authorized Pfizer’s vaccine for use in children aged 12 to 15 years. The shot is the first to be approved for administration in a younger age group, after the FDA approved the vaccine for ages 16 and older last December. Here’s what you need to know about Covid-19 vaccines and kids:

When will kids get the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 64% of people 12 years of age and older in the US have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Some older people and those with weakened immune systems are also getting booster shots.

If the FDA issues the authorization requested by Pfizer and BioNTech, vaccination in children ages 5 to 12 could begin within weeks. This could mean the companies’ approval of a Covid-19 vaccine for young children between Halloween and Thanksgiving, a person familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal. Pfizer said the results of the study for young children aged 6 months to 5 years could be out by the fourth quarter of this year.

Do we need to vaccinate children?

Yes, according to most infectious disease experts. Children can and do get sick from Covid-19, although research shows they usually experience mild cases and are much less likely to be hospitalized or die from the virus than adults and the elderly. Is. Some hospitals across the country reported treating more children this summer than ever before, which the CDC said reflects the wide spread of the highly contagious Delta variant across much of the country.

In addition, scientists say children need to be vaccinated to gain community, or herd, immunity that reduces the chances of the virus spreading. Lisa Costello, pediatrician and president of the West Virginia chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said, “Vaccines give us an opportunity to really turn the tide on this pandemic, and kids and teens really need to be part of that strategy.” “

How effective is the vaccine?

Pfizer-BioEntech Vaccine – Authorized for emergency use in children 12 to 15 years of age and fully approved for anyone 16 years of age and older with Covid-19 among children 18 to 18 years of age Was 93% effective against hospitalization. The CDC reported in October.

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech released new data on October 22 showing that the vaccine was 90.7% effective in preventing symptomatic Covid-19 in a study of children aged 5 to 11. The companies also said that the vaccine was safe during the trial.

A review of data by FDA staff on October 22 found that Pfizer-BioNtech’s Covid-19 vaccine met the agency’s criteria for immune response in a study of children ages 5 to 11.

The agency flagged the risk of heart-inflammatory conditions, including vaccine-associated myocarditis, but said the overall benefit in preventing Covid-19 disease and hospitalization would outweigh the risk of heart conditions.

The Biden administration recently said it would make Covid-19 vaccines available to children ages 5 to 11 in more than 25,000 pediatric offices and primary care sites and pharmacies and schools, should it be approved by federal regulators.

The Biden administration said it has procured enough doses of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine to vaccinate the nation’s children and will begin shipping them nationwide if and when the vaccine is approved for use.

Moderna, which is seeking authorization to extend the use of its shots to ages 12 and older, has said its Covid-19 vaccine was generally safe and has been tested for 6 to 11 years in clinical trials. used to induce the desired immune response in children of one year of age.

Will vaccinations be required for school?

CDC urges all school staff and eligible students to get vaccinated before the school year. Some universities are requiring students to be vaccinated when they return to campus this fall, and school districts, including New York City, are requiring teachers and staff to receive the shots. Most school districts in the country already require students to receive vaccinations for mumps, measles and rubella, as well as polio, diphtheria, and chickenpox, although many districts require pre-existing health problems or conflicting religious beliefs with mandates. Give discounts to students. Noel Elerson Ng, Associate Director of Advocacy and Governance, said, “If you’re in a district that already has a lot of vaccine requirements, I wouldn’t be surprised to see that the Covid-19 vaccine is just in line with those others.” Is.” AASA, the Association of School Superintendents, is a national umbrella group representing school districts. Some other school experts say some districts may require Covid-19 vaccinations for just a year or two, until the pandemic is over.

What are the Covid-19 symptoms of children?

According to the CDC, the symptoms for children are the same as for adults. Symptoms include fever or chills, cough, loss of taste or smell, and headache. Doctors are also investigating links between Covid-19 and a rare inflammatory condition that causes abdominal pain, skin rashes and high fever. Doctors and public-health experts say they hope children will be vaccinated, part of the reason they can carry and transmit the virus even when they show no symptoms.

Are there any risks to children from the vaccine?

Doctors and vaccine experts say any vaccine comes with the risk of an adverse reaction, and Covid-19 shots are no different. So far, however, researchers have found no evidence that vaccines pose any additional or separate risks for children versus adults. According to the CDC, the most common side effects of the vaccine are flu-like symptoms such as fever, muscle aches and chills. Many recipients also experience pain or bruising in the arm after receiving the shot.

In extremely rare cases, people who have received a Covid-19 vaccine have experienced severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis related to chemicals that Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna Inc. They help package the main ingredient in vaccines, a compound called mRNA.

Experts advising the CDC have said there appears to be an association between mRNA vaccines and a rare inflammatory heart condition called myocarditis in some young people, including young adults.

The CDC and other health officials still recommend a Covid-19 vaccination for those 12 years of age and older, given the greater risk from Covid-19, which itself can cause myocarditis and other complications.

Citing the risk of myocarditis, Norway advises that Moderna vaccine should not be given to all people under the age of 18, even if they have already received a dose, and recommends that those under 30 years of age Men should consider getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine instead. Norwegian officials cited US, Canadian and Nordic data to say the absolute risk is low and called the advice a precautionary measure.

Studies indicate that vaccines pose no safety risk to pregnant mothers or their unborn babies, and that expectant mothers can pass immune-boosting antibodies to their fetuses after receiving the shots. “Some parents will be worried about this” [Pfizer] Vaccines because it’s a new technology, but it means a lot more education has to be done on the subject,” said Peter Hotez, a pediatrician and virology specialist at Baylor University. “The safety profile looks similar to that for children. does. for adults.”