Children 5 to 11 years old who received the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine against coronavirus were 68% less likely to need treatment during the Omicron variant wave than unvaccinated children of the same age, according to a new US study.
On the other hand, adolescents 12 to 18 years of age who received two doses of the vaccine had an approximately 40% lower risk of being admitted to the hospital due to Omicron infection. But the risk of more serious illness and intubation or death in this age group was almost 80% lower.
Researchers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Boston Children’s Hospital, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, analyzed data from 267 children aged 5-11 and 918 adolescents. 12-18 years old with Covid-19 treated in 31 pediatric hospitals in 23 states during the period July 2021-February 2022.
88% of pediatric patients treated with Covid-19 were unvaccinated and 25% were severely ill. Between the ages of 5-11, 92% of patients were unvaccinated and 16% became seriously ill. Between the ages of 12-18, 87% were unvaccinated and 27% became seriously ill (of these, 93% were unvaccinated, while two died).
Among children 5-11 years old, two doses of Pfizer / BioNTech showed 68% efficacy in preventing hospitalization during Omicron circulation in the community. Among adolescents 12-18 years of age, the vaccine was 92% more effective against the risk of hospitalization of adolescents due to Delta variant infection, compared with 40% more effective than Omicron. However, in preventing severe and life-threatening illness, vaccination of adolescents was 96% effective during Delta and 79% during Omicron.
The Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine became available to 16-18 year olds in December 2020, to 12-15 year olds in May 2021 and to 5-11 year olds in October 2021. But many parents are still reluctant to vaccinate their children, so By mid-March 2022, only 57% of 12-17 year olds and 27% of 5-11 year olds had taken two doses, according to the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“The reason for a child to get a Covid-19 vaccine is to prevent serious complications of coronavirus infection, including hospitalization. New study shows that vaccination significantly reduces this risk in children 5-11 years of age. “Vaccination provided lower protection for adolescents with Omicron’s hospitalization compared to Delta, but it prevented severe disease from both of these variants,” said lead researcher Dr. Adrian Randolph of University and University School of Medicine. Children of Boston.
“We hope that our findings will help parents make the decision to vaccinate their children and adolescents against Covid-19. The benefits clearly outweigh the risks, as serious childhood infections can have long-term consequences.” he added.
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