When will kids have a coronavirus vaccine ready?
Children have been badly hit during the second wave of the pandemic, with a rise in symptomatic infections and post-COVID complications, such as MIS-C. There are also some troubling reports which suggest that the coming few months may further see a rise in pediatric COVID-19 cases.
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Yet, despite the COVID-19 vaccination showing credible results until now in minimizing the severity of the infection, children are still ineligible to get a COVID-19 vaccine jab.
Skin symptoms could be warning signs of MIS-C in kids, read to know more
While some countries in the world have started selectively inoculating older kids, children in India are still far from getting their hands on a vaccine. Clinical trials for Covaxin use on kids have just begun in the country but there may still be a long wait in line.
Vaccinating kids is not just important right now to protect their future, but also to drive community-wide herd immunity. Here's what we know about the same, and when we can realistically think of vaccinating kids
Are kids at a higher risk right now?
Until before, there were only fewer documented cases of kids catching COVID-19, having symptomatic infections or falling prey to risky complications like MIS-C. However, it is now being suspected that the virulent virus is not just taking a toll on adults, but kids as well since it can be easy for the virus to surpass the immune defences and launch an attack. Over the past weeks, there have been several cases of COVID-19 hospitalizations and illness as well in kids aged between a few months old to teens. Thus, without access to a vaccine that may protect them from severity, kids undoubtedly have a high risk right now.
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Which companies are working on developing a COVID-19 vaccine for kids? Have clinical trials started?
Currently, children in select countries across the world, including the USA, Singapore, Japan, Dubai, Israel and parts of Europe are allowed to get COVID-19 vaccinated (kids above the age of 12)clinical trials began only during the end of 2020, with companies like Pfizer-BionTech, Moderna and Sinopharm testing the vaccine doses on younger kids, which allowed them to proceed with emergency use authorisation.
China meanwhile has now allowed one of its domestic vaccine makers, Sinopharm to administer the vaccine for kids as young as 3.
In India, currently, only one vaccine developer, Bharat Biotech has started testing trials on kids. Zydus Cadila, which is also expected to seek authorisation for its adult vaccine, will also be another one to develop a vaccine for children. Apart from this, Pfizer is also said to have held talks with Indian officials to bring its vaccine made to India, which may also be made available to the kids. Similar talks have also been said to take place with Moderna Inc.
However, it is still suspected that even with promising vaccine trials, a COVID-19 vaccine for kids in the country may not be readily available for administration before the end of 2021.
A slower pace of adult vaccination, late clinical trials and availability of doses may also lead to further delays.
But why is developing a vaccine for kids more difficult?
Experts believe that vaccinating kids is an easier task than vaccinating adults. Vaccines developed for other preventable diseases have also shown exceptional results.Yet, while COVID-19 vaccines have been developed at an unprecedented rate, no such development has been greenlighted for pediatric COVID-19 vaccines, and none of the clinical trials involved children, until the end of December.
One of the prime reasons behind this is the difference in children's immunity, and how they may react to vaccine doses. Since it is believed that the vaccine doses may need to be altered, or the adult vaccination doses may need to be studied well before being authorised, clinical trials involving kids, similar to those of pregnant women, were pushed to the farther end. Vaccines for those aged below 12, may even take longer to work out.
Will vaccines be safe and effective for kids?
All vaccines being used right now are experimental in nature. However, current clinical data suggests that most vaccines being approved for use right now are largely safe and effective in minimizing COVID-19 risk
A clinical study based on the working of Pfizer's mRNA vaccine, for example, has been found to be 100% effective when used in kids. Moderna, too, has pegged its vaccine to be super effective in kids aged between 12-17.
Side-effects and safety observations have also been studied to be tolerable and within limits, just as is for adults.