COVID-19 vaccines for children

2021/04/29 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• COVID-19
• Berdintasuna
• Medikuntza
• Farmakologia
• Osasuna

All vaccines that are taking place in the European Union are authorized for persons over 18 years of age. In fact, the clinical sessions were attended by people older than that age (at Pfizer over 16 years old) and their safety and effectiveness has been proven.

With the addition of adults in place, clinical sessions have also been initiated in minors, and Pfizer has already advanced the first results of a phase III clinical session. In the study with 2,260 young people aged 12 to 15, half received a vaccine and half received a placebo. Well, the results indicate that the vaccine has not produced any side effects and that the antibody response has been even stronger than in 16-25 years. Thus, it has been concluded that 100% is safe and efficient. Although they continue to investigate, they have already requested their authorization from the U.S. drug agency (FDA) and have announced that the European will also do so shortly (EMA).

The Astrazeneca and Johnson&Johnson vaccines were also planned for children. The first began its sessions in February, aged between 6 and 17, and the second in April. However, aware that they can cause strange thrombotic events, both suspended their sessions.

In the meantime, pediatric associations have warned that children are not “small adults”, so it is very important to conduct clinical sessions adapted to their characteristics. People who favor vaccination have three reasons for this: in general, although rare, serious cases and deaths would be avoided; through group immunity, adults would also be protected and classes opened.