The Testing of COVID-19 Vaccines for Children (as of 3.23.21)
By Adelaide Keller
By Adelaide Keller
Now that the coronavirus vaccine has been on rollout for a couple of months and lots of people are being vaccinated, a new question emerges - when will children get their vaccine? No vaccines have been authorized for people younger than 16 - the Pfizer vaccine is for ages 16+ with the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines being for ages 18+. Many people don’t want to send their kids to school before they are vaccinated, but when will that be?
Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson are all testing or planning to test their vaccines on children. Moderna has started testing its vaccine on children between the ages of 6 and 11. The company plans to test the vaccine on about 6,750 kids in the United States and Canada. They will give the children in the study either a vaccine of 25 to 100 micrograms or a saline placebo (which does nothing). Moderna is also testing their vaccine on children from 12 to 18 years old, with more than 3,000 children already enrolled in the study. Pfizer is testing their vaccine on children ages 12 to 15 with 2,259 participants enrolled in the study, but has not yet begun testing on children younger than 12. The director of global media relations for the company, Jerica Pitts, says that Pfizer plans to release data from their trials in the first half of 2021. Johnson & Johnson (the most recent vaccine-manufacturing company approved in the United States) plans to start testing their vaccine on children between the ages of 12 and 18, moving on to infants, newborns, and pregnant women soon after. Their company might have the biggest advantage, because their type of vaccine (an adenovirus vaccine) has been used in children before. All three companies are trying to make sure their vaccine is safe and effective on children so it can be released quickly.
The COVID-19 vaccine for children may be ready by the fall of 2021, depending on how long the trials for effectiveness and safety take. Until then kids should keep practicing preventative measures against COVID-19, making sure they are socially distancing, wearing masks, avoiding large gatherings, and constantly washing their hands.
Sources
CNN - First children vaccinated in Moderna's Phase 2/3 pediatric Covid-19 vaccine trial, company says: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/16/health/children-vaccinated-moderna-covid-19-trial-bn/index.html
CNN - Johnson & Johnson says vaccines for children under 18 could be available by September: https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-03-03-21/h_35ba20bf305e14ecf885d3c653172c2f?tab=Vaccines
CNN - This is how vaccine trials for pregnant women will work: https://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2021/02/19/coronavirus-vaccine-trials-children-pregnant-women-gupta-ac360-vpx.cnn
Connecticut Children’s - When Will the COVID-19 Vaccine Be Available for Kids, and Will It Be Safe for Your Family?: https://www.connecticutchildrens.org/coronavirus/when-will-the-covid-19-vaccine-be-available-for-kids-and-will-it-be-safe-for-your-family/
NPR - Moderna Gives 1st Vaccine Shots To Young Kids As Part Of COVID-19 Study: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/03/16/977778462/moderna-gives-first-vaccine-shots-to-young-kids-as-part-of-covid-19-study
The New York Times - Johnson & Johnson has planned trials of its vaccine that will include infants.: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/28/world/johnson-and-johnson-vaccine-testing-children.html
Image: https://khn.org/news/article/pediatricians-want-kids-to-be-part-of-covid-vaccine-trials/
Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson are all testing or planning to test their vaccines on children. Moderna has started testing its vaccine on children between the ages of 6 and 11. The company plans to test the vaccine on about 6,750 kids in the United States and Canada. They will give the children in the study either a vaccine of 25 to 100 micrograms or a saline placebo (which does nothing). Moderna is also testing their vaccine on children from 12 to 18 years old, with more than 3,000 children already enrolled in the study. Pfizer is testing their vaccine on children ages 12 to 15 with 2,259 participants enrolled in the study, but has not yet begun testing on children younger than 12. The director of global media relations for the company, Jerica Pitts, says that Pfizer plans to release data from their trials in the first half of 2021. Johnson & Johnson (the most recent vaccine-manufacturing company approved in the United States) plans to start testing their vaccine on children between the ages of 12 and 18, moving on to infants, newborns, and pregnant women soon after. Their company might have the biggest advantage, because their type of vaccine (an adenovirus vaccine) has been used in children before. All three companies are trying to make sure their vaccine is safe and effective on children so it can be released quickly.
The COVID-19 vaccine for children may be ready by the fall of 2021, depending on how long the trials for effectiveness and safety take. Until then kids should keep practicing preventative measures against COVID-19, making sure they are socially distancing, wearing masks, avoiding large gatherings, and constantly washing their hands.
Sources
CNN - First children vaccinated in Moderna's Phase 2/3 pediatric Covid-19 vaccine trial, company says: https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/16/health/children-vaccinated-moderna-covid-19-trial-bn/index.html
CNN - Johnson & Johnson says vaccines for children under 18 could be available by September: https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-03-03-21/h_35ba20bf305e14ecf885d3c653172c2f?tab=Vaccines
CNN - This is how vaccine trials for pregnant women will work: https://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2021/02/19/coronavirus-vaccine-trials-children-pregnant-women-gupta-ac360-vpx.cnn
Connecticut Children’s - When Will the COVID-19 Vaccine Be Available for Kids, and Will It Be Safe for Your Family?: https://www.connecticutchildrens.org/coronavirus/when-will-the-covid-19-vaccine-be-available-for-kids-and-will-it-be-safe-for-your-family/
NPR - Moderna Gives 1st Vaccine Shots To Young Kids As Part Of COVID-19 Study: https://www.npr.org/sections/coronavirus-live-updates/2021/03/16/977778462/moderna-gives-first-vaccine-shots-to-young-kids-as-part-of-covid-19-study
The New York Times - Johnson & Johnson has planned trials of its vaccine that will include infants.: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/28/world/johnson-and-johnson-vaccine-testing-children.html
Image: https://khn.org/news/article/pediatricians-want-kids-to-be-part-of-covid-vaccine-trials/