CDC approves 5-11 year old booster

The Commission voted for boosters after hearing more about Pfizer’s application to the FDA to increase access to boosters in this age group. Children who received the primary vaccination series showed reduced antibody levels, and booster immunization achieved higher antibody levels than those seen after the primary series.

“Overall, the benefits of the Covid vaccine continue to outweigh the risks, regardless of which age group is emphasized, and receipt of the primary series of Covid vaccines prevents severe Covid-19 morbidity and mortality. It remains very important to us. Overall Covid-19 vaccine booster doses have been shown to enhance protection against all outcomes over 12 years of age, “said a pediatric infectious disease expert. Dr. Sara Oliver, leader of the Covid-19 Vaccine ACIP Work Group, said. “Children between the ages of 5 and 11 may benefit from a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine.”

According to a presentation submitted to the committee, looking at the electronic medical records given more than 700,000 times, no real safety issues were found with the Pfizer vaccine in children.

The anaphylaxis rate in children aged 5 to 11 years after Pfizer vaccination was similar to that seen in people aged 12 years and older. Three months after the first vaccine series, there were 10 potential cases of myocarditis or pericarditis., Both types of heart inflammation were determined to be unrelated to vaccination in four of those cases, the CDC said in its presentation.

“The big picture is that mRNA vaccination-related myocarditis tends to be clinically mild compared to viral myocarditis, the patient’s prognosis is good, and the recovery period is fairly short,” said Tom of the CDC. Dr. Shimabukuro told the committee.

The proportion of this age group was also lower than that seen in adolescence. The rate after booster administration was also low.

Most children were considered less serious, such as pain at the injection site, if there was a problem with the vaccine. This was similar to the adult response after the second dose.

Vaccination is an important protection for children. The risk of dying from Covid-19 in children over the age of 12 in February 2020 was 20-fold higher in unvaccinated children than in primary vaccine series and boost-immunized children.

Scientists initially believed that Covid-19 did not affect children as much as adults, but deaths from Covid-19 aged 5 to 11 years were more than preventable diseases with many other pediatric vaccines. There were many. In 2020, it was one of the leading causes of death for children in this age group.

“It is important to emphasize that these other diseases, vaccination rates against these other diseases are relatively high. This is because deaths from these diseases are relatively rare, but most parents are type A. It indicates that we will accept vaccination against hepatitis, meningitis, chickenpox, ruts and rotavirus. ” Dr. Matt Daley, Chairman of the COVID 19 Vaccine Work Group and Senior Research Fellow at the Colorado Institute of Health Kaiser Permanente.

Parents should also keep in mind that children who get Covid-19 can develop long Covids, like adults, even after the child has a mild case of Covid-19. .. Symptoms of Long Covid can last for years after the initial infection. According to the CDC, previously vaccinated people are less likely to develop symptoms 12 to 20 weeks after infection than unvaccinated people.

Children aged 5 to 11 years were also the most vulnerable age group to develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, also known as MIS-C, a rare but serious Covid-19-related condition. According to the CDC presentation, there were 3,800 MIS-C cases and 16 deaths in this age group.

“The data do not suggest potential safety concerns regarding the Pfizer / BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster for children aged 5 to 7 years, which exceeds those previously identified in the elderly group.” Dr. Helen Captalbot said in a presentation of the safety findings to the Commission.

Talbot was one expert who voted against the booster effect of this age group. She agrees to vaccinate children against Covid-19, but public health leaders should focus on lower immunization rates in this age group rather than focusing on boosters. Is thinking.

“I want my children to be vaccinated,” said Talbot, an associate professor at Vanderbilt University. “We really need to spend time and effort educating 70% (not vaccinated). Boosters are great once everyone finishes the first round and need to prioritize it. I think there is. ”

According to the CDC, in the 5-11 year old group, only 35% of children receive a single dose and only 28% are fully vaccinated.

Following the ACIP vote, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky decides whether to approve the ACIP recommendations.

Warensky, who gave the opening remarks at the conference, suggested that more people of all ages should be vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine.

“Too many people don’t have the necessary protection because we are facing yet another increase in cases and hospitalizations,” she told the committee. “We all never wanted the death toll to be so high that it would reach an immeasurable number when we first learned of the virus.”

“The sadness of losing my life, ruining my family and changing the community is steep,” Warensky added. “We have the tools we need to protect these people from serious illness and prevent further tragic death.”