Mother and father additionally need to find out about security, unintended effects and in the event that they'll nonetheless must put on masks. FatCamera through Getty Photographs

The primary COVID-19 vaccine has been licensed to be used within the U.S., and states have been drawing up plans for who ought to get vaccinated first.

However one necessary group is absent: youngsters.

Up to now, the vaccine is allowed just for adults and older teenagers. Testing is barely now getting began with youngsters – and simply with adolescents. There are nonetheless a variety of unknowns.

As an infectious illness pharmacist and professor who helps handle sufferers hospitalized with COVID-19, I ceaselessly hear questions on vaccines. Right here’s what we all know and don’t know in response to some frequent questions on vaccinating children for COVID-19.

When can my youngster be vaccinated?

Proper now, it seems unlikely {that a} vaccine shall be prepared for kids earlier than the beginning of the subsequent faculty 12 months in August.

Grownup trials of the 2 main vaccines have had promising outcomes. On Dec. 11, the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for Pfizer’s vaccine for folks ages 16 and older, and a second vaccine, from Moderna, is predicted to be cleared for grownup use quickly. Vaccinations are already underway within the U.Ok., and Canada has additionally licensed the vaccine’s use for a similar age vary.

However medical trials involving youngsters are solely simply getting began.

Pfizer, working with Germany’s BioNTech, expanded its COVID-19 vaccine testing to youngsters ages 12 and older solely in October. Moderna introduced on Dec. 2 that it deliberate to start COVID-19 vaccine trials in youngsters ages 12-17 quickly.

The vaccine’s efficacy and security must be evaluated for every age group, and testing hasn’t began for infants, toddlers or children within the U.S.

The coronavirus will get its title from the spike proteins that ring it like a corona, seen right here below an electron microscope. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines goal these proteins.

NIAID, CC BY

Scientific trials are designed to make sure that the vaccine is secure and efficient. Sometimes, it takes 10 to 15 years from the beginning of improvement till the vaccine is licensed, however the COVID-19 vaccines are being developed sooner in response to the pandemic.

Will youngsters want extra pictures than adults?

It doesn’t seem that the schedule of COVID-19 vaccine doses shall be completely different for kids, however that might change as testing goes on.

Pfizer’s vaccine is being examined in adolescents with a two-dose collection, three weeks aside, similar to in adults. Moderna additionally plans to make use of its grownup schedule – two doses 4 weeks aside – in an upcoming trial with 3,000 adolescents.

The second dose serves as a “booster shot,” for the reason that first dose alone doesn’t present optimum immunity. That is in line with a number of different vaccines, together with hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella.

Proper now, solely these two doses are deliberate, however that might change. It’s unclear how lengthy the immune response from these COVID-19 vaccines will final or if extra doses shall be essential sooner or later. The flu vaccine, for instance, requires a brand new dose yearly as a result of the virus modifications. Current promising information from Moderna point out immunity is sustained for a minimum of three months after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccines assist the immune system acknowledge viruses, usually by injecting weakened virus or the virus’s proteins. Pfizer and Moderna developed a brand new sort of vaccine that as an alternative makes use of mRNA, the molecular directions for constructing virus proteins.

@VI4research, CC BY-NC-SA

Are the vaccines secure for youths?

Up to now, no critical security considerations have been recognized with both the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, however the trials are nonetheless within the early levels for kids. A number of different vaccines are additionally below improvement all over the world, and some drugmakers have began trials with youthful youngsters in different nations.

One other concern has been momentary unintended effects.

Kids are likely to have stronger immune techniques than adults, they usually might have stronger momentary reactions to the vaccine. That might imply extra ache and swelling on the injection website for just a few days and presumably a fever.

These unintended effects are frequent with vaccines. They’re proof that the immune system is doing what it ought to be doing, however they are often scary.

Within the U.Ok, well being officers warned on Dec. 9 that anybody with a historical past of anaphylaxis shouldn’t get the vaccine after two adults, each with previous expertise with anaphylaxis, had extreme reactions.

Each the protection of the vaccine and the probability of momentary unintended effects are necessary to grasp, as a result of adults and kids will want each doses for the vaccine to supply optimum immunity.

Is vaccinating adults sufficient?

Simply vaccinating adults wouldn’t be sufficient to finish the pandemic. Kids can nonetheless develop into contaminated, transmit the virus and develop problems. If a vaccine will not be out there, youngsters will possible function a reservoir of the virus, making it more durable to finish the pandemic.

Each main vaccines have reported promising leads to adults up to now: The efficacy charge is roughly 94% for Moderna’s vaccine and 95% for Pfizer’s. That implies that below the very best circumstances, about 95% p.c of adults who get the vaccine have been discovered to be protected. That’s increased than anticipated.

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Whether or not the identical holds for kids stays to be seen.

Kids usually have milder COVID-19 signs than adults, however they’ll nonetheless transmit the virus to others.

Receiving the vaccine additionally carries different advantages, together with permitting a safer return to varsities and actions.

Do we’ve to maintain sporting masks and social distancing?

Within the meantime, it will likely be necessary to proceed customary preventive measures, together with social distancing, sporting face masks, washing palms and following different official steering.

Whereas the hope is {that a} vaccine will enable folks to get again to a extra “regular” way of life, these preventive measures will nonetheless be wanted, even after receiving the vaccine, till extra info is understood in regards to the extent of safety from the vaccine.

There are nonetheless many unanswered questions. As time goes on, we’ll have extra solutions.

This text was up to date with the FDA issuing the emergency use authorization on Dec. 11.

Wesley Kufel has acquired analysis grants from Melinta and Merck.