Pfizer’s Successful Childhood Vaccine Trial Good News To Slow COVID-19 Flare, Utah Doctor Says



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The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is drawn into a syringe at the South Davis Senior Activity Center in Bountiful on August 25. On Monday, Utah health officials confirmed 3,393 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday, along with 17 new deaths. (Laura Seitz, Deseret News)

SALT LAKE CITY – News from Pfizer that its COVID-19 vaccine trial in children was successful sparked optimism from a Utah pediatric infectious disease doctor that Utah could reduce its surge continues.

Dr. Andrew Pavia, an infectious disease physician at the University of Utah Health, noted that the increased rate of transmission is largely due to going back to school in person.

Monday, Pfizer announced positive results from vaccine trial in children aged 5 to 11. The company said it would seek FDA approval for emergency use authorization for this age group.

Side effects were similar in 5 to 11 year olds and in other age groups, which Pavia says is optimistic. The antibody response in young children with a lower dose of the vaccine is equivalent to that seen in young adults, the doctor noted.

Trying to predict when the federal government might approve the use of the vaccine for young children is “a matter of crystal ball gaze,” Pavia said, but he predicts it could happen around Halloween or early November.

The Primary Children’s Hospital continues to record higher admissions of children with COVID-19[female[feminine compared to last year, according to Pavia, but they do not represent the majority of hospital patients.

While Pavia said many downplayed the risk of illness for children, he stressed that many children with the virus have to stay home from school while they have it – a challenge for parents and parents alike. students.

He described the risk of the vaccine for children as “much smaller” compared to the “great” risk of COVID-19 itself.

Pavie urged those who want more information to speak to their child’s pediatrician.

The Pfizer 5 to 11 year study used the three week interval between the first and second dose. But if someone cannot receive the second dose within three weeks, it is normal for them to receive it later. It takes about two weeks after the second dose for full protection, which Pavie urged parents to keep in mind before the holidays.

He said he hoped the state would “finally beat” the delta surge and reduce cases to a low level with more children potentially able to get vaccinated. The number of people vaccinated in a school will lower transmission rates, according to Pavia.

New data from Utah

Utah health officials have confirmed 3,393 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday, as well as 17 new deaths. Friday brought 1373 cases; 1,130 were confirmed on Saturday; and 900 people tested positive on Sunday.

The Utah Department of Health removed 10 previous cases from the state’s overall tally after analyzing the data.

School-aged children accounted for 652 of the new cases – 319 cases were between 5 and 10 years old, 145 cases were between 11 and 13 years old and 188 were between 14 and 17 years old, according to a daily update provided by the state health service.

The seven-day moving average for new cases is now 1,456, and the percent positivity rate of those tested stands at 13.8%. The state had 577 hospital patients with COVID-19 on Monday – 15 fewer than on Friday.

Health workers have administered 16,990 vaccines since Friday’s report, bringing the total vaccinations given in Utah to 3,389,704.

In the past 28 days, according to the health department.

As of February 1, unvaccinated people are 4.7 times more likely to die from coronavirus, five times more likely to be hospitalized, and 4.4 times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 than those who are not. vaccinated people.

Three deaths reported on Monday occurred before September. The latest deaths include:

  • Washington County man over 85 who was residing in long-term care at the time of his death
  • Weber County man, over 85, resident in long-term care facility
  • Weber County man, 45-64, hospitalized
  • Davis County man, 65-84, out of hospital
  • Salt Lake County man, over 85, resident in long-term care facility
  • Salt Lake County man, 25-44, hospitalized
  • Juab County man, over 85, not hospitalized
  • Washington County man, 25-44, hospitalized.
  • Iron County woman, 65-84, hospitalized
  • Salt Lake County woman, 65-84, not hospitalized
  • Utah County man, 25-44, hospitalized
  • Iron County man, 65-84, hospitalized
  • Salt Lake County man, 65-84, out of hospital
  • Salt Lake County man, 45-64, hospitalized
  • Juab County woman, 65-84, hospitalized
  • Salt Lake County man, 25-44, out of hospital
  • Washington County woman, over 85, hospitalized

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