AstraZeneca vaccine to be tested on children reveals expert
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Children and pregnant women were not included in the initial testing phases for many of the coronavirus vaccines. Son children as young as six years old will be given the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine as part of a new clinical trial to test its effectiveness in younger people. Many experts believe vaccinating children is a good way to ensure children can continue attending school in the case of any future lockdowns.
Children aged under 16 are not included in the vaccine priority list.
From January to February 15, older care home residents, care home workers, people aged 70 and above, health and social care workers and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable under the age of 70 will receive the vaccine.
The remainder of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s priority list including those aged 50 and above as well as those aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions will receive the coronavirus vaccine.
The rest of the population is expected to receive the vaccine by autumn 2021.
When will the Covid vaccine be available for children?
Researchers will use 300 volunteers to assess whether the coronavirus vaccine will produce a strong immune response in children aged six to 17.
The vaccine trial will begin at Oxford University, as well as its partner sites in London, Southampton and Bristol.
The jab trial will begin this month.
The trial will see up to 240 children receive the vaccine, while others will receive a control meningitis jab.
This control vaccine will be used to prove safety in children, as it may produce similar reactions as the coronavirus jab, including a sore arm, headache or a high temperature.
Professor Andrew Pollard, the chief investigator on the Oxford vaccine trial, said: “While most children are relatively unaffected by coronavirus and are unlikely to become unwell with the infection, it is important to establish the safety and immune response to the vaccine in children and young people as some children may benefit from vaccination.
“These new trials will extend our understanding of control of SARS-CoV2 to younger age groups.”
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Trials in teenagers have already started to take place, but this is the first time a trial will involve children as young as six years old.
Focus during the pandemic has been on those who are older and more vulnerable because the most serious complications resulting from Covid-19 tend to happen to these groups.
Scientific experts have said most children do not become seriously ill with Covid, but many would benefit from the jab if it is safe.
Speaking last year, Health Secretary Matt Hancock explained children have a lower risk of being badly impacted by Covid-19 if they catch it.
He said: “This vaccine will not be used for children. It hasn’t been tested on children.
“And the reason is that the likelihood of children having significant detriment if they catch Covid-19 is very, very low.
“So, this is an adult vaccine, for the adult population.”
According to NHS data accurate as of February 3, 2021, only 31 people aged 19 and under have died throughout the pandemic.
Of those, 25 had a pre-existing condition, while six did not have any conditions.
In addition, of the 31 Covid-related deaths, 15 have been female and 16 were male.
A further 915 Covid deaths were reported on February 4, including a seven-year-old child.
When will the Covid vaccine be available for children?
Children aged 16 and under and pregnant women are currently not scheduled to receive the vaccine at all.
All adults aged under 50 are due to begin receiving the vaccine from April through to the autumn period.
Depending on the duration of the trial and results, it is likely children will be vaccinated either starting in April along with the remainder of the adult population, or once the adult population has been vaccinated in the autumn.
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