Why children cannot get the COVID-19 vaccine yet. Here’s who else might have to wait

Now that doses of Moderna Covid-19 vaccine are dispensed alongside Pfizer’s vaccine, the first wave of coronavirus vaccinations is underway. For the vast majority of people, the Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine has been shown to be safe in large-scale clinical trials lasting several months. The same goes for Moderna’s vaccine. But as with any new medicine, healthcare professionals encourage caution when taking coronavirus vaccines, especially for people who have had adverse reactions to a vaccination in the past.

For example, one of the safety precautions that is becoming standard with the coronavirus vaccines involves staying in place for a period of time after receiving the injection to give healthcare professionals time to watch for any side effects. This doesn’t mean that doctors expect something bad to happen. Of more than 1.1 million people to be vaccinated so far in the United States, only a small handful have had allergic or other reactions.

Read more: Find out your priority to receive the coronavirus vaccine

But what about children, people with known allergies, and pregnant or breastfeeding mothers? Here, we compile available data from the FDA and CDC, along with information from leading health experts, to present a guide on who is advisable to take the drug. Covid-19 vaccine and who should contact a healthcare professional first.

When will there be a COVID-19 vaccine for children?

Currently, Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine is approved for people 16 years of age and older. (Moderna is designed for ages 18 and up). That’s because, of the several dozen COVID-19 vaccines in development, including Pfizer and Moderna, none have yet been tested in children 12 years of age or younger. It is expected. Vaccines are usually tested first in adults before researchers begin testing in children, after the drug has been shown to be relatively safe.

Another factor is that COVID-19 mostly seems to spare children from the worst outcomes. A September CDC report counted only 121 children among the 190,000 people who have so far died in the United States from coronavirus. Other research has shown that children catch and spread the coronavirus about half as much as adults, although they are still seen as vectors for the spread of COVID-19, especially among high-risk populations. For example, a CDC report this summer highlighted a summer camp in Georgia where the coronavirus has spread, leading to more than 250 children and young adults testing positive for COVID-19.

Moderna will soon begin pediatric clinical trials with children aged 12 to 17, the company announced in early December. It’s a good sign.

Can people with allergies receive the COVID-19 vaccine?

In the UK, on ​​the first day of administration of the Pfizer vaccine, doctors observed two patients who experienced severe allergic reactions to the drug. Now British doctors are told to monitor patients for 15 minutes after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. In the United States, six serious allergic reactions occurred in the approximately 272,000 vaccines administered before Dec. 19, according to the CDC. (There are now over 1.1 million people in the United States who have been vaccinated.)

The FDA says complications are rare and that some people might have an allergic reaction to COVID-19 vaccines, like anaphylaxis or tissue swelling, from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine. Some scientists are investigating whether the cause is an ingredient in the vaccine – but not the COVID-19 mRNA itself – that could trigger certain reactions, the Wall Street Journal reported on December 25.

“The CDC recommends that people with a history of serious allergic reactions unrelated to vaccines or injectable drugs – such as allergies to food, pets, venom, the environment, or latex – can still get the vaccine.” , says the agency one of its COVID -19 Page Vaccines and severe allergic reactions.

The FDA has released a Pfizer vaccine fact sheet and a separate Moderna fact sheet. Both publications warn: “A severe allergic reaction usually occurs between a few minutes and an hour after receiving a dose …” The two sheets then list several signs and symptoms of such an allergic reaction:

• Difficulty in breathing
• Swelling of the face and throat
• Rapid heartbeat
• A rash all over the body
• Dizziness and weakness

If you have a history of allergies, you can expect to be monitored for 15 to 30 minutes after receiving the vaccine.

The FDA also recommends that you do not take the Pfizer vaccine if you have ever had a severe reaction to any of these ingredients:

• Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)
• Lipids ((4-hydroxybutyl) azanediyl) bis (hexane-6,1-diyl) bis (2-hexyldecanoate) 2 [(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N, N-ditetradecylacetamide 1,2-Distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and cholesterol)
• Potassium chloride
• Monobasic potassium phosphate
• Sodium chloride
• Dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate
• Sucrose

The FDA also recommends avoiding Moderna’s vaccine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients:

• MRNA
• Lipids (SM-102, polyethylene glycol [PEG] 2000 dimyristoyl glycerol [DMG], cholesterol and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine [DSPC])
• Tromethamine
• Tromethamine hydrochloride
• Acetic acid
• Sodium acetate
• Sucrose

You may still be able to get the vaccine even if you have had allergic reactions to vaccinations in the past. In its most recent guidance, the CDC echoes the FDA by saying that just because you’ve had a severe allergic reaction after being vaccinated in the past shouldn’t automatically prevent you from being vaccinated against COVID-19. .

“These people can still be vaccinated, but they should be made aware of the unknown risks of developing a severe allergic reaction and balance those risks against the benefits of vaccination,” the CDC says on its website.

Is the vaccine safe if you are pregnant or breastfeeding?

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, the FDA leaves the decision to take one of the currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines to you and your doctor. British regulators have so far recommended not to do so until the vaccines can be tested on pregnant and breastfeeding women. (There have been no clinical trials for this group so far.) Even though coronavirus vaccines have not yet been studied in breastfeeding and pregnant women, many scientists believe they are generally safe and that the benefits outweigh the potential risks.

If I cannot get the vaccine, how will I be protected against COVID-19?

If you are a patient with a medical condition that your doctor advises against getting the COVID-19 vaccine, you may need to wait until enough people have been vaccinated in the United States to be protected yourself. . Even if you don’t take a vaccine yourself, being around enough people who have been vaccinated – this is called “herd immunity” – can provide a measure of protection against the coronavirus. But that will take time. It may require up to 90% of the population to become immune to the disease before those who are still susceptible can be considered safe.

To speed up this process, the best thing you can do right now is to follow the CDC’s safety guidelines: wear a mask whenever you are indoors (except in your own home), wear a mask in public, avoid large crowds and keep at least six feet away from people you don’t live with.

It will be a while before life returns to normal. To get an idea of ​​how long, take a look at this timeline of when different groups may take the COVID-19 vaccine. There will likely be several coronavirus vaccines being rolled out over the next few months, and which one are you going to take will also help determine when you can take it. Finally, here is our updated list of places where you can get the vaccine.

The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended for health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.