– Wesley Kufel is clinical assistant professor (pharmacy practice) at Binghamton University, State University of New York Vaccines help the immune system recognize viruses, typically by injecting weakened virus or the virus’s proteins. Pfizer and Moderna developed a new type of vaccine that instead uses mRNA, the molecular instructions for building virus The first Coronavirus, aka Covid-19 vaccines have been authorised for use in the US, and states are starting to implement plans for who should get vaccinated first. But one important group is absent: children. So far, the vaccine is allowed only for adults and older teens. Testing is only now getting started with children — and just with adolescents. There are still a lot of unknowns. As an infectious disease pharmacist and professor who helps manage patients hospitalized with Covid-19, I frequently hear questions about vaccines. Here’s what we know and don’t know in response to some common questions about vaccinating kids against this virus. When can my child be vaccinated? Right now, it appears unlikely that a vaccine will be ready for children before the start of the next school year in August. Adult trials of the two leading vaccines have had promising results. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued emergency use authorization for both in mid-December, but only for use in adults and older teens. It authorised Moderna’s vaccine for ages 18 and over on December 18, a week after authorizing Pfizer’s vaccine for ages 16 and older. Vaccines were already being injected in the UK, and Canada had authorised the Pfizer vaccine for the same age range. But clinical trials involving children are only just getting started. Pfizer, working with Germany’s BioNTech, expanded its Covid-19 vaccine testing to children aged 12 and older only in October. Moderna announced that it had just started trials with children ages 12-17 on December 10. The vaccine’s efficacy and safety will have to be evaluated for each age group, and testing hasn’t started for infants, toddlers or kids in the US. Clinical trials are designed to ensure that the vaccine is safe and effective. Typically, it takes 10-15 years from the start of development until a vaccine is licensed, but Covid-19 vaccines are being developed faster in response to the pandemic. Will children need more shots than adults? It does not seem that the schedule of Covid-19 vaccine doses will be different for children, but that could change as testing goes on. Pfizer’s vaccine is being tested in adolescents with a two-dose series, three weeks apart, just as in adults. Moderna also plans to use its adult schedule — two doses four weeks apart — in a trial with 3,000 adolescents. The second dose serves as a “booster shot”, since the first dose doesn’t provide optimal immunity. This is consistent with several other vaccines, including hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella. Right now, only two doses are planned, but that could change. It’s unclear how long the immune response from these Covid-19 vaccines will last or if more…
