Vaccines For Children Against COVID-19

     The evolving COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global public health crisis that continues to have a major impact on the world. Many countries are facing significant challenges vaccinating their populations for COVID-19. As countries continue to roll out COVID-19 vaccines, decisions about vaccination strategies need to balance limited vaccine availability with prioritizing people at greater risk of severe illness from the disease.

                 When COVID-19 vaccines first became available, countries around the world decided to implement vaccination strategies focused primarily on the adult population because children were less likely to experience severe illness from COVID-19. However, mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome have led to variants that pose a heightened risk of infection to a wider range of individuals, including subpopulations like children that were not part of initial vaccination roll-out strategies. Recent evidence indicates that children and young adults can carry a high SARS-CoV-2 viral load in their upper airways, particularly early in the course of infection, suggesting that pediatric populations may be a key source of community transmission and have the potential to serve as a reservoir for the evolution of new variants.

The best way to keep children safe is about prevention. We have to prevent as many infections as we possibly can all over the world. And it's about doing it all. We need to make sure children have clean hands and they wash their hands appropriately with soap and water and sing the songs so that they get enough bubbles and they make sure that those hands are really clean. Or use an alcohol-based rub. Make sure that they practice respiratory etiquette, where they sneeze into their elbow. These are good habits to be forming for children as they get older. We need to make sure that if they're age appropriate and they follow the local guidance to wear a mask appropriately. With clean hands, make sure that the mask is put on over your ears, covers their nose and their mouth and that the children don't touch the outside of their masks. That's the best way to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

References:

Why a COVID-19 Vaccine for Children May Take Longer. February 12, 2021. Health Essentials. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/why-a-covid-19-vaccine-for-children-may-take-awhile/

Are We One Step Closer to a COVID-19 Vaccine for Kids?. April 5, 2021. Health Essentials. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/are-we-one-step-closer-to-a-covid-19-vaccine-for-kids/