SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Children and Adolescents—A Joint Statement of the European Academy of Paediatrics and the European Confederation for Primary Care Paediatricians

Dembiński, Łukasz; Martins, Miguel Vieira; Huss, Gottfried; Grossman, Zachi; Barak, Shimon; Magendie, Christine; Torso, Stefano del; Dornbusch, Hans Jürgen; Mazur, Artur; Albrecht, Katarzyna; Hadjipanayis, Adamos

doi:10.3389/fped.2021.721257

Cited by 19 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…Furthermore, the United States and many European countries have started their vaccination program for children ( 25 , 26 ). The effect of vaccination in children with pre-existing immunity, however, remains poorly understood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-Lived Immunity in SARS-CoV-2-Recovered Children and Its Neutralizing Capacity Against Omicron

et al. 2022

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SARS-CoV-2 infection is effectively controlled by humoral and cellular immune responses. However, the durability of immunity in children as well as the ability to neutralize variants of concern are unclear. Here, we assessed T cell and antibody responses in a longitudinal cohort of children after asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 over a 12-month period. Antigen-specific CD4 T cells remained stable over time, while CD8 T cells declined. SARS-CoV-2 infection induced long-lived neutralizing antibodies against ancestral SARS-CoV-2 (D614G isolate), but with poor cross-neutralization of omicron. Importantly, recall responses to vaccination in children with pre-existing immunity yielded neutralizing antibody activities against D614G and omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants that were 3.9-fold, 9.9-fold and 14-fold higher than primary vaccine responses in seronegative children. Together, our findings demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 infection in children induces robust memory T cells and antibodies that persist for more than 12 months, but lack neutralizing activity against omicron. Vaccination of pre-immune children, however, substantially improves the omicron-neutralizing capacity.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Long-Lived Immunity in SARS-CoV-2-Recovered Children and Its Neutralizing Capacity Against Omicron

et al. 2022

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“… 5 , 6 The burden of Covid-19 in children extends to social issues such as school interruptions and other life disruptions that may result in long-term consequences for academic development and well-being. 7 Complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and adolescents can include the development of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and sequelae such as long Covid-19 8-10 ; these outcomes indicate a compelling need to protect children through vaccination.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of mRNA-1273 Covid-19 Vaccine in Children 6 to 11 Years of Age

et al. 2022

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Background Vaccination of children to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is an urgent public health need. The safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of the mRNA-1273 vaccine in children 6 to 11 years of age are unknown. Methods Part 1 of this ongoing phase 2–3 trial was open label for dose selection; part 2 was an observer-blinded, placebo-controlled expansion evaluation of the selected dose. In part 2, we randomly assigned children (6 to 11 years of age) in a 3:1 ratio to receive two injections of mRNA-1273 (50 μg each) or placebo, administered 28 days apart. The primary objectives were evaluation of the safety of the vaccine in children and the noninferiority of the immune response in these children to that in young adults (18 to 25 years of age) in a related phase 3 trial. Secondary objectives included determination of the incidences of confirmed Covid-19 and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, regardless of symptoms. Interim analysis results are reported. Results In part 1 of the trial, 751 children received 50-μg or 100-μg injections of the mRNA-1273 vaccine, and on the basis of safety and immunogenicity results, the 50-μg dose level was selected for part 2. In part 2 of the trial, 4016 children were randomly assigned to receive two injections of mRNA-1273 (50 μg each) or placebo and were followed for a median of 82 days (interquartile range, 14 to 94) after the first injection. This dose level was associated with mainly low-grade, transient adverse events, most commonly injection-site pain, headache, and fatigue. No vaccine-related serious adverse events, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, myocarditis, or pericarditis were reported as of the data-cutoff date. One month after the second injection (day 57), the neutralizing antibody titer in children who received mRNA-1273 at a 50-μg level was 1610 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1457 to 1780), as compared with 1300 (95% CI, 1171 to 1443) at the 100-μg level in young adults, with serologic responses in at least 99.0% of the participants in both age groups, findings that met the prespecified noninferiority success criterion. Estimated vaccine efficacy was 88.0% (95% CI, 70.0 to 95.8) against Covid-19 occurring 14 days or more after the first injection, at a time when B.1.617.2 (delta) was the dominant circulating variant. Conclusions Two 50-μg doses of the mRNA-1273 vaccine were found to be safe and effective in inducing immune responses and preventing Covid-19 in children 6 to 11 years of age; these responses were noninferior to those in young adults. (Funded by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; KidCOVE ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04796896 .)

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“…In some cases (3–25%), patients had comorbidities, such as immunological diseases, immunosuppression, cancers, and respiratory diseases. Severe complications of this syndrome include respiratory and myocardial failure ( 19 ). Other complications of COVID-19, commonly in the adult population, concern the onset of long-term effects, up to 6 months after infection, consisting of multiple symptoms, including fatigue, muscle, bone and joint pains, palpitations, insomnia, and breathing problems ( 20 ).…”

Section: Comparison Of Risk/benefit Ratio Of Covid-19 Infection and V...mentioning

confidence: 99%

COVID-19 Vaccination in Pediatric Population: A Necessity or Obstruction to the Protection of the Right to Health? Biojuridical Perspective

Bilotta

Perrone²,

Zerbo³

et al. 2022

Front. Public Health

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One of the most recently debated topics worldwide is the mass vaccination of children against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Next, the risk/benefit ratio of COVID-19 vaccination and infection in children are compared. Nonetheless, the real question in this debate is as follows: Does the vaccine represent a necessary tool or is it an obstacle in protecting the right to health? From a public health point of view, the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, in Canada, recommends COVID-19 vaccination in the pediatric population. Based on Article 25 of the Draft Articles on State responsibility, vaccination can be considered a social act necessary for protecting the individual's right to health. The 1989 New York Convention on the Rights of the Child and the European Regulation number 219/1111 state that the opinion of a minor aged >12 years is considerable. However, this validity of opinion is related to age and degree of discernment. The onset of adverse events following the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine may lead to compensation in the near future. Recent studies have identified a new COVID-19-related pediatric pathology, known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Other studies have demonstrated that myocarditis in the pediatric population might occur following COVID-19 vaccine administration. In June 2021 in the USA, the Center for Control and Prevention of Infectious Diseases Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices declared that the benefits of vaccination against COVID-19 in the pediatric population outweighed the risks. In the meantime, whereas the bioethical debate remains open, monitoring the real risk/benefit ratio of vaccination in the pediatric population is crucial.

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SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Children and Adolescents—A Joint Statement of the European Academy of Paediatrics and the European Confederation for Primary Care Paediatricians

Cited by 19 publications

References 52 publications

Long-Lived Immunity in SARS-CoV-2-Recovered Children and Its Neutralizing Capacity Against Omicron

Long-Lived Immunity in SARS-CoV-2-Recovered Children and Its Neutralizing Capacity Against Omicron

Evaluation of mRNA-1273 Covid-19 Vaccine in Children 6 to 11 Years of Age

COVID-19 Vaccination in Pediatric Population: A Necessity or Obstruction to the Protection of the Right to Health? Biojuridical Perspective

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