with the covid-19 epidemic，during the covid-19

经过几个月在虚拟学校、远程办公和社交距离中的挣扎，父母们终于有了一个好消息：新冠肺炎疫苗正在全国推广，现在每个5岁及以上的人都有资格接种疫苗。这是你需要知道的关于新冠肺炎疫苗和儿童的一切。

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COVID-19 Vaccine Timeline for Kids

的一切今年5月，辉瑞疫苗被批准用于12岁及以上的儿童（它拥有食品及药物管理局对16岁及以上儿童的全面批准权)。超过1530万12至17岁的儿童已经接种了第一剂疫苗。11月2日，5至11岁的儿童获准在紧急使用授权下接受更小剂量的辉瑞疫苗。批准是在食品药品监督管理局（食品和药物管理局)和疾病控制和预防中心（疾控中心)的建议下进行的，两次剂量各为10微克，约为成人和青少年剂量的三分之一。

现在只有5岁以下的儿童没有资格接种新冠肺炎疫苗。专家表示，6个月及以上的孩子可以在未来几个月内获得疫苗接种的许可；他们目前正在审查针对这些较年轻年龄组的儿科试验。

Moderna呢？5月25日，它宣布了其青少年研究的结果，该研究包括3700多名12至17岁的参与者。在这个年龄组，两剂疫苗证明是100%有效的，一剂是93%有效，没有主要副作用。此外，10月25日，Moderna披露了一项超过4700名参与者的试验，发现其疫苗是安全的，对6至11岁的儿童有积极的免疫反应。这些结果尚未经过同行评审或公布Moderna .也在对6个月以上的孩子进行试验，预计很快会有结果。

此外，约翰逊约翰逊宣布了针对12岁及以上儿童的即时检测计划，随后将对新生儿和青少年进行检测。

%2F38%2F2020%2F11%2F19%2FGettyImages-1266644628-treatment-2000.jpg" alt="parents with little girl getting vaccinated, everyone wearing face masks"> parents with little girl getting vaccinated, everyone wearing face masks Credit: Getty Images

Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Safe for Kids?

When clinical trials first began, children were largely excluded, which is why many haven't received COVID-19 vaccine approval yet. The exclusion was partly for ethical reasons because kids can't fully comprehend and consent to the trials. Also, children have different bodies and immune systems than adults, so experts want to understand safety risks thoroughly before undergoing pediatric testing, says Christine Turley, M.D., Pediatrics Specialist and vice chair of research at Atrium Health Levine Children's. Once experts learned more about the COVID-19 vaccine, pediatric clinical trials began for children 6 months to less than 12 years old.

Researchers haven't seen any red flags in clinical trials as they thoroughly evaluated the dosage, side effects, frequency, and other important elements. Experts understand that children have different immune systems and body functions than adults, and they only approve a pediatric vaccine if they're absolutely sure of its safety.

Indeed, Pfizer's pediatric vaccine involves a lower dose than what's given to adults and adolescents; experts came up with the dosage based on early trials that assessed safety. According to The New York Times, kids between 5 to 11 years old are given two doses of 10 micrograms each, which is about one-third of the dose given to adults and adolescents. Children under 5 years are given two doses, each with three micrograms, in clinical trials.

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Still, some parents worry about the rapid development of the COVID-19 vaccines, since they received approval in record time. But Dr. Turley stresses that all safety procedures have been properly followed in the clinical trials, and only the administrative components have been sped up. "The FDA worked closely with vaccine experts to study a vaccine design for COVID-19," she says. "Trial design usually takes a long time, which contributes to a long time for vaccine approval, but this was all discussed before we even had a candidate."

When COVID-19 vaccines receive FDA approval for kids, you shouldn't fear getting one, stresses Purvi Parikh, M.D., an allergist and immunologist with the Allergy and Asthma Network and co-investigator on the vaccine trials. "Do not be fearful of the vaccine if you are recommended to get it, as risk of infection may outweigh any risks from the vaccine," she says. Widespread vaccination will help stop COVID-19 in its tracks, letting everyone get back to life as we knew it. 

That said, here's something to note: The CDC recently confirmed some cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of heart's outer lining) in people 30 and younger who received Pfizer or Moderna. Symptoms occur mostly in males after the second dose, and they include chest pain, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath. Most cases resolve with treatment. While myocarditis after vaccination remains a very rare event, medical organizations are further studying a link to the mRNA vaccines in young people. The CDC still recommends that everyone 12 years of age and older get vaccinated. Because of myocarditis and pericarditis concerns, Sweden and Denmark recently paused Moderna distribution for younger people.

Is the COVID-19 Vaccine Effective?

So far, data on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness in kids looks promising. Indeed, according to the FDA, "Immune responses of children 5 through 11 years of age were comparable to those of individuals 16 through 25 years of age. In addition, the vaccine was found to be 90.7 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 in children 5 through 11." In adolescents and adults, the vaccines have been shown to reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death—even with the highly transmissible Delta variant.

Should My Child Get the COVID-19 Vaccine?

Parents can weigh the pros and cons of the vaccine, but when your kids are eligible, experts stress the importance of getting it. Kids generally have been spared from the worst of the coronavirus, but about 16.9 percent of COVID-19 cases are in pediatric patients, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Several kids have died from the virus, and others have gotten a mysterious and deadly illness called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). 

A recent study published by the CDC showed that the hospitalization rate for adolescents with COVID-19 was 2.5 to 3 times higher than that age group's rate for the flu. "The benefits of vaccination far outweigh any risks," said Dr. Vivek Murthy, the Surgeon General of the United States, during a recent press conference. "It's easy to forget that not getting vaccinated is a choice that puts our kids at higher risk of getting COVID."

What's more, children can easily pass COVID-19 to parents, grandparents, and those with underlying health issues who might suffer more severe consequences. "We can't get community immunity until we know that known carriers are protected," says Dr. Turley. If majority of the population does not get vaccinated, "it will be harder to stop the spread of COVID-19" in America, adds Dr. Parikh.

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For the same reason, it's also vital for caregivers and relatives of children to receive the vaccine. "If your child goes to school, parents and grandparents should take the vaccine to protect themselves, especially if you fall into one of those high-risk groups," says Dr. Parikh. "We know children can transmit the infection asymptomatically." 

Finally, Dr. Murthy recently stressed that vaccination opens up activities with friends and at school that have been severely curtailed, from "sleep overs, and birthday parties to school plays and soccer games." He adds: "Ultimately the vaccine is a pathway to getting back to the rich parts of life that bring our kids joy and fulfillment."

• By Nicole Harris