How the COVID vaccine dosage is different for young children

For months now, many parents have been eagerly awaiting the day when children under the age of 12 will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination, wondering: what is the delay?

Well, the “delay” was basically because the researchers took a close look at the dosage, testing smaller amounts in young children to make sure they are both safe and effective.

As Dr Janet Englund, professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Seattle Children’s Hospital, once told HuffPost, “You have to try different doses to see how much you really need.

Now that Pfizer appears to be on the cusp of being able to distribute its vaccine to young children, here’s what parents need to know:

First, it is important to remember that children under the age of 12 are not yet eligible for one of three COVID vaccines currently available for adolescents and adults in the United States

Pfizer’s vaccine is the most advanced, with the company recently announcing that a lower dose of its vaccine is both safe and effective in children aged 5 to 11. The Food and Drug Administration has said it expects the company to submit an emergency use request. authorization soon and hold October 26 for an advisory committee meeting to discuss the matter.

So that suggests that kids could start rolling up their sleeves in a matter of weeks.

If and when this happens, they will receive a dose that is one-third the size given to adolescents and adults – and they will also need to receive two injections.

Adults are given two doses of 30 micrograms, so children aged 5 to 11 will receive two doses of 10 micrograms. (Pfizer is currently investigating an even lower dose in children under 5. They are unlikely to be eligible until 2022.)

Moderna has yet to release the results of its trial in young children, although it is also studying a lower dose.

The researchers “take into account typical age-related weights and how the drug will distribute itself in the body,” Dr. Frank Esper, pediatric infectious disease specialist at the Cleveland Clinic Children’s, told HuffPost.

But that’s not the only factor, he explained. The researchers in the trial (it is not one of them) also took into account that children’s immune systems are different from that of adults.

Indeed, pediatricians often stress that children are not only little adults from a physiological point of view. And the pandemic has made it clear. Children are much less likely to become seriously ill or die from COVID-19, and their immune systems are probably a big part of it – although experts are still studying why and how.

While many parents are skeptical about vaccinating their children, others have been counting the minutes until they are eligible. But Esper cautioned against getting, say, an adult-sized dose of vaccine for an 11.5-year-old now. Or get an adult size photo to a 10 year old who is adult size.

“While you can have a 10-year-old of adult size, that doesn’t necessarily mean the immune system is of adult size,” he said, again stressing that trials in children have focused on much on dosage and safety.

The researchers “basically said that all children aged 5 to 11 received this dose – and we made sure that this dose is safe for children aged 5 to 11,” Esper said.

Of course, pediatricians and other primary care physicians have been following all of this carefully, so if you have any questions about your child or their particular situation, now is a great time to contact us, experts say.

As Dr Mundeep Kainth, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at New York’s Cohen Children’s Medical Center, once told HuffPost: Now is the time to reach out.

Experts are still learning more about COVID-19. The information in this story is what was known or available at the time of publication, but directions may change as scientists find out more about the virus. Please consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the most recent recommendations.