Why experts advise to vaccinate minors against the coronavirus as soon as possible

Science has already shown that coronavirus it does not distinguish between gender, age or socio-economic status. Its multiples variants they continue to spread around the world and each time they acquire more strength and resistance. The reality is that many countries are advanced in immunization their populations, which has significantly reduced the contagion by SARS-CoV-2, las hospitalizations and the dead.

However, the scientists warn that it is necessary vaccinate as soon as possible to the more guys and adolescents. But what is the cause of such concern? The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a study last week detailing recent “disturbing” data about hospitalizations of adolescents with COVID-19.

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The survey showed that between March and April, teenage hospitalization rates for coronavirus were standing in the USA. “The increase may have been linked to the more transmissible coronavirus variants, a large number of minors back to school and other indoor activities and changes in prevention behaviors“, Argued the researchers.

The study, which analyzed the period before the vaccine authorization for people up to 12 years old, revealed: “Among the 204 adolescents hospitalized mainly for covid, from January 1 to March 31, 2021, the 31.4% was admitted to a unit of intensive care and 4.9% required invasive mechanical ventilation. There were no associated deaths ”.

For researchers, the vaccination of minors “This is integral to protecting the wider community from the coronavirus, and although serious illness in children is rare, so are they too. need protection”.

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Amy edwards, Associate Medical Director of Pediatric Infection Control at UH Hospital Rainbow babies and children of Cleveland, said in this regard: “The truth is that minors would not have to be vaccinated if all Adults did it. I think then there would be so little spread of the virus in the community, that would not be a problem. However, we know that a large portion of adults will not get vaccinated (by choice), and this leaves some children and vulnerable adolescents. That’s why they need the vaccine. “

In the United States, for example, 42.3% of the population is fully vaccinated (with all doses), that is, 139 million Americans are currently immunized. However, there are 12 states in which at least 70% adults have at least one dose of the vaccine. Therefore, it is not yet clear whether this country will succeed in collective immunity nor when will it be. For this reason, experts warn that children and adolescents will play an important role in achieving this goal.

Claire Boogaard, pediatrician and medical director of the COVID-19 vaccination program at children’s national, he said CNN: “We really have to add another group of children who are vaccinated to reach this threshold and reach the collective immunity. We need to be thoughtful about this. Soy madre de dos menores, de tres y seis años y, francamente, sabiendo lo devastadora que puede ser la enfermedad desde el punto de vista medico y también lo disruptiva que puede ser socialmente para los niños, no veo el momento de que mis hijos reciban the vaccine, provided that it is demonstrated sure in your age range. I believe that will give you freedom that they waited patiently ”.

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The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already cleared pfizer vaccine for the children of 12 years. This, next to Modern, have already started to be tested on boys from 6 months to 11 years, while at the Johnson & johnson they test it in minors between 12 and 17 years old.

Antoine Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said CNN who is “cautiously optimistic about this some less than 12 years can be vaccinated by November ”, and that children of all ages could be inoculated in America by the end of the year.

For its part, Sean O’Leary, a specialist in pediatric infectious diseases at Children’s Hospital Colorado (USA), stressed that “the more people we can vaccinate, more lives we will save. And that includes children. If you can prevent any of these causes of death with something as simple as a vaccine, obviously that’s something you’ll want to do ”.