Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is said to provide strong protection in adolescence

The Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is highly effective in adolescents aged 12 to 15 years, and is probably even more effective than adults, the two companies reported Wednesday. No symptomatological infections were found in vaccinated children in recent clinical trials, the drug company said. The children showed a strong antibody response and had no serious side effects.

If the findings hold up, it could speed the return of millions of American families to normal. With regulatory approval, junior high school, high school, and elementary school students can start vaccination before the start of the next school year.

The two companies published their results in a news release that did not include detailed test data, but have not yet been peer-reviewed or published in scientific journals. Still, the news attracted praise and excitement from experts.

Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University, said: If the vaccine performance in adults was A plus, the result in children was “A plus plus”.

Good news arrives even when the country records another increase in infectious diseases and health officials are renewing their attention to precautions and calling on Americans to be vaccinated.On Monday, Dr. Rochelle Warrensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said cases were on the rise. Leaving her a sense of “imminent ruin” Meanwhile, President Biden urged state and local authorities to reinstate Mask’s obligations.

Immunization efforts are accelerating nationwide.29 percent of Americans as of Tuesday Inoculated at least once with coronavirus vaccine, And according to the CDC, 16% were completely inoculated

However, some specialties say that the country cannot hope to reach herd immunity (the point at which the coronavirus spreads so much that it delays the crawl of the entire population) without inoculating the youngest Americans. The house says. Children under the age of 18 make up about 23 percent of the US population.

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Georgetown University, said: In Washington.

According to Israeli data, vaccination of adults alone can significantly reduce the number of cases, but “in the long run, children need to be vaccinated to reach the herd immunity threshold. There is, “she said.

The study included 2,260 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15. Children received two vaccinations (same amount and schedule as adults) or placebo saline every three weeks.

Researchers recorded 18 cases of symptomatological coronavirus infection in the placebo group, but not in vaccinated children. Still, due to the low number of infections, it is difficult to be too specific about the effectiveness of the vaccine across the population, Dr. Rasmussen said.

“But if there are no cases of Covid among the vaccinated people, it clearly looks good for the vaccine,” she added.

Vaccinated adolescents produced on average much higher levels of antibody compared to participants aged 16-25 years in previous trials. The children experienced the same minor side effects as the older participants, but the company refused to be more specific.

Dr. Iwasaki said he expected antibody levels in adolescents to be comparable to those in young adults. “But they are getting even better levels from the vaccine,” she said. “It’s really great.”

She and other experts warned that the vaccine may be less effective in children and adults against some variants that have begun to be distributed in the United States.

Pfizer and BioNTech begin clinical trials of vaccines in children under 12 years of age Children 5-11 years old last week. Company scientists will begin testing the vaccine next week for younger children aged 2 to 5 and then for children aged 6 months to 2 years. ..

The results of the three-phase trial are expected later this year, and both companies hope to make the vaccine available to children under the age of 12 early next year.

In a statement, Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said, “We share the urgency to extend vaccine use to more people, and clinical trials for adolescents aged 12 to 15 years. The data is encouraging. “

Modana is also Test the vaccine In a child. The results of the trial for adolescents aged 12 to 17 are expected in the coming weeks, later this year for children aged 6 months to 12 years.

Last month, AstraZeneca began testing vaccines in children over the age of six months. Johnson & Johnson says it will wait for the results of a test in older children before testing the vaccine in children under the age of 12.

Some parents say they are reluctant to vaccinate their children because of their low risk of the virus. Less than 1% of deaths from Covid-19 are children, but about 2% of sick children require hospital treatment.

Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Health and Security Center, said the new results may not shake all of these parents, but may reassure parents who were wary of the vaccine.

“I don’t think you have to wait until your children are vaccinated to fully reopen school, but if you can vaccinate your children, some families will be safer about returning to school. You can feel it, “she said.

Pfizer and BioNTech will request the Food and Drug Administration to revise the emergency use authorization for the vaccine, hoping to begin vaccination of older children before the start of the next school year. Both companies also plan to submit data for peer review and publication in scientific journals.

They monitor participants for 2 years after the second dose to assess the long-term safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Dr. Christine Oliver, a pediatrician and vaccine expert at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, said the side effects of the vaccine usually become apparent within the first six weeks. “Still, it’s good to know that safety surveillance will continue,” she said.

The CDC recommends avoiding other vaccines for two weeks before and after two doses of the coronavirus vaccine.

However, pediatricians and parents should aim to get other vaccinations sooner than usual, as children will be vaccinated more than at any other time a few weeks before the school year, Dr. Oliver said. I did.

The coronavirus vaccine should ideally be given by a pediatrician with deep immunity experience in children, Dr. Oliver added. “Now is the time to start planning how that deployment will take place in this age group,” she said.