On vaccinating children. UK data released today reports that over ONE Year 5,800 children were admitted with Covid19, 690 children admitted with a linked paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome(PIMS-TS) of whom 251 required intensive care. 25 children died from Covid19. (1)
For those who want to look at the US figures and an excellent review of the risks and benefits, see this article: (2) sciencebasedmedicine.org/covid-19-and-b…
What about Long Covid? ONS figures: 14.5% (of children aged 12-16 have symptoms lasting longer than 5 weeks, and 5.7% (4.1-8.1) lose taste and smell. If half of all children aged 12-16 became infected we might expect >100,000 to lose taste +smell. (3) ons.gov.uk/releases/preva…
An excellent recent study in adults where brain scans done before the pandemic and after showed Covid +ve cases with loss of taste and smell showed thinning of the brain cortex in the areas of the brain that deal with taste and smell. medrxiv.org/content/10.110… (4)
Of course self-reported symptoms can over-estimate a problem and we don't yet have brain scan data on children. But this evidence raises sufficient doubts about longer term effects on children to NOT say the risks to them are extremely low. (5)
But there are other population reasons to vaccinate children. First, having the virus circulating freely among 12 million children is a potential incubator for new variants. Second, they might circulate the virus to other members of their family who may have waning immunity? (6)
Third, immunity from natural infection is thought be to be lower than from vaccination. (7) directorsblog.nih.gov/2021/06/22/how…
Fourth, if the Ro value of delta variant is say 6.5 (range 5-8) we may need >85% vaccinated to achieve effective population immunity. But if 12 million children are excluded, we cannot reach that figure even if all others are immunised. Except through infection. (8)
Fifth, vaccine protected children are less likely to have their education disrupted, to be asked to isolate, and are more able to travel abroad. (9)
Safety of the vaccines is good. The US FDA approved its use based on large trials in 12-17yo on May 10; the European Medicines Agency on May 28 + the UK MHRA in early June. Worldwide eight million children over 12 have been vaccinated in US, Europe, Israel +mid-East. (10)
The risks of myocarditis in people with vaccines? CDC reviewed 323 people aged< 29 who met the definition of myocarditis and/or pericarditis. 309 (96%) were hospitalized, 295 (95%) discharged, 218(79%) recovered without symptoms, 5 lost to FU, 9 (2.9%) in hospital, 2 in ICU (11)
Decisions abt vaccinating children are difficult. Personally I believe balance of benefits to risks strongly favours vaccinating children aged 12-17. So does Dr David Salisbury, director of immunisation at the Dept of Health until 2013, responsible for many new vaccines. (12)
As a paediatrician I expect there will be differing opinions among the paediatric and medical community so I'd be interested to know views here when you have appraised the evidence. (13)
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