COVID-19 vaccine injections to children aged 5 to 11 began Tuesday evening in the United States, a new stage in the immunization campaign hailed as a “turning point” by Joe Biden, with 28 million toddlers newly eligible in the country.
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) officially recommended injections of Pfizer’s vaccine for this age group on Tuesday, after clearance late last week by the U.S. Medicines Agency (FDA).
It is always given as two injections, three weeks apart. But the dosage has been adjusted to 10 micrograms per injection, compared to 30 micrograms for the older groups.
As early as Tuesday evening, at Hartford Hospital, Connecticut, a small group of six children received a first dose.
“It doesn’t really hurt,” 6-year-old Kareem Omar told AFP, saying he was doing this “to help America”.
“I could cry just thinking about that moment,” said Liz Cronin, a mother who came to immunize two children aged 6 and 8. “We have all waited for so long for our children to regain some sense of normalcy. “
The vaccination “will allow parents to put an end to months of worry for their children”, welcomed the American president immediately after the announcement, welcoming an “important step forward” and a “turning point” in the fight against the pandemic.
The government had largely anticipated the decision of the health authorities by procuring enough doses for this age group, and by starting to send millions of them to the four corners of the country.
Since FDA clearance, “there hasn’t been a time when teams haven’t picked up, packaged, and shipped vaccines,” Jeff Zients, the pandemic coordinator, said Monday at the White House. “They have been working around the clock and will continue to do so. “
The vaccination campaign for young children “will reach its full capacity the week of November 8,” he said.
Pharmacies, pediatricians, schools
Among 5 to 11 year olds, more than 1.9 million cases of COVID-19 have been recorded in the United States, more than 8,300 hospitalizations, more than 2,300 cases of MIS-C (pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome), and about 100 of deceased.
According to clinical trials conducted by Pfizer on thousands of children, the vaccine has been shown to be 90.7% effective against symptomatic forms of the disease.
In addition to preventing them from falling ill, the expected benefits also include a decrease in the number of class closures, and a possible reduction in the transmission of the epidemic to the general population.
The doses will be available in pharmacies, pediatric hospitals, but also in offices of pediatricians, family physicians, and some schools.
The caps of the vials intended for children are orange, and thus easily recognizable compared to the purple caps of the vials for the older age groups.
According to a survey presented Tuesday by the CDC and conducted in September of 1,000 parents, 57% said they would “definitely” or “probably” vaccinate their child.
Among the hesitant, the concerns mainly concern short or long term side effects.
“Excellent evidence”
Earlier today, an expert committee convened by the CDC had unanimously recommended Pfizer’s vaccine for ages 5 to 11.
These independent scientists reviewed, during a day of discussions broadcast live, the data available on the impact of the epidemic in children, the effectiveness of Pfizer’s vaccine, and its possible side effects.
The main concern was the risk of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, detected in adolescents and young adults (especially males) after vaccination with Pfizer or Moderna.
Health authorities have confirmed nearly 880 cases in those under 30 (more than 600 remain to be evaluated), of which around 830 required hospitalization.
Most cases resolve within a few days.
Nine deaths were suspected to be related to myocarditis after the vaccine. But out of six cases so far reviewed, vaccine-related myocarditis has ultimately been ruled out “as the cause of death,” pediatric cardiologist Dr Matthew Oster said in a presentation.
“The risk of having a heart problem is much higher if you catch COVID-19 than if you take this vaccine,” he added.
Experts further believe that the risk of myocarditis should be rarer in young children, thanks to the reduced dosage, and because this risk could be related to testosterone levels.
“If I had a grandson I would definitely get him vaccinated,” said Beth Bell, infectious disease specialist and committee member. “We have excellent evidence of efficacy and safety. We have a favorable risk-benefit analysis, ”she insisted.