Following the recent establishment of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the vaccination of children aged 5-11 years with the vaccine Pfizer-BioNTech’s mRNA (BNT162b2) vs. COVID-19, recent publication in the medical journal JAMA summarizes the data obtained from a study of 2268 children aged 5-11 years who received the Pfizer vaccine in a 2-dose dosing schedule.
The Doctors of the 2nd Pediatric Clinic of the Medical School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Nikos Spyridis (Associate Professor of Pediatrics-Infectious Diseases) and Irini Eleftheriou (Pediatrician – Specialist Infectious Diseases) briefly present the findings of the study.
Are COVID-19 vaccines safe for children ages 5-11?
Side effects of Pfizer-BioNTech’s mRNA vaccine in children aged 5-11 years are similar in frequency and severity to those seen in adolescents and adults, with more common vaccination pain (71%), malaise (39%). ) and headache (28%). The risk of heart complications after vaccination (pericarditis, myocarditis) is very low and does not differ from the rates observed in adolescents 12-15 years (180 cases per 1 million vaccinated adolescents). The cases are described as mild and with quick recovery.
Are COVID-19 vaccines effective in children aged 5-11?
Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 mRNA vaccine induces high levels of antibodies in children aged 5-11 years. Its effectiveness is 91% against symptomatic disease. In the clinical study, there were no cases of severe COVID-19, hospitalization or death, and among those who contracted COVID-19, those vaccinated had milder symptoms than those who had not been vaccinated.
What are the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5-11?
Although severe coronavirus disease is rare in children and mortality from both COVID-19 and severe Systemic Hyperinflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) remains very low in the pediatric population, as the number of children with the disease increases so much the number of children with serious consequences or fatal outcome. According to data from adolescents, vaccinating children aged 5-11 is expected to prevent more hospitalizations and more deaths in this age group as well. In addition, data from adult patients show that vaccinated children are expected to shed smaller amounts of the virus in a shorter period of time, helping to reduce transmission to the family, school, and community. Finally, the vaccination of children aged 5-11 years in combination with the known measures -masks, distances, good indoor ventilation- but also the increase of the total vaccination coverage of the population can ensure the smooth continuation of the educational process that offers multiple benefits to students.
What remains to be investigated for COVID-19 vaccines in children aged 5-11?
The duration of protection provided by the vaccine against COVID-19 and the need for a booster dose are not known. In addition, as the vaccines will be given to a large number of children, possible rare side effects such as myocarditis and pericarditis will be recorded and studied.
The authors conclude that the coronavirus vaccine remains the most powerful weapon against the pandemic and with this fact the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the vaccination of children aged 5-11 years.
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