A new study has found that Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine was only 12% effective among children aged five to 11 years old compared to older adolescents or adults, causing concern among public health officials and parents.
New York health officials collected a large new set of data that could lead to deep ramifications for younger children. Currently, Pfizer's vaccine is the only coronavirus treatment authorized to be given to the age group in the United States.
Vaccine Efficacy in Young Kids
While the vaccine still prevents severe illness among children, it offers virtually no protection against infection even after a month from full immunization, the study suggests. The research was conducted during the Omicron surge in the region, which could explain the situation.
Some health experts have attributed the sharp drop in efficacy to children receiving only a third of the full dose given to older kids and adults. Researchers posted the findings online on Monday that comes on the heels of clinical trial results that suggest the vaccine fared poorly in children aged two to four years because they received an even smaller dose, as per the New York Times.
The situation comes shortly after federal authorities announced the easing of masking guidance and after New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced the end of mask mandates in schools. The study was conducted by six New York state public health scientists. They analyzed cases and hospitalization rates from Dec. 13, 2021, to Jan. 30, 2022, and included data from 852,384 fully vaccinated children aged 12 to 17 and 365,502 fully vaccinated children aged five to 11.
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The latest numbers discovered that the efficacy of the vaccine among kids aged 12 to 17 dropped from 85% to 73%. Among kids aged five to 11, the decrease was much more severe, going from 100% to 48%.
According to The Guardian, in the last week of January, vaccine effectiveness against hospitalizations among 12-year-old kids was found to be 67% for 12-year-olds and only 11% for 11-year-olds. An immunologist at Mount Sinai's Icahn School of Medicine, Florian Krammer, said that the stark difference between the two age groups was alarming.
Omicron Variant Surge
The researchers wrote in the study that the rapid loss of protection against infection from the coronavirus highlights the importance of layered protections among society. This includes wearing face masks, especially for children, to prevent infection and transmission of the virus.
Compared to a high number of infections in January, COVID-19 cases were down 91% in recent data. On Sunday, the United States reported a daily average of roughly 66,000 new infections, which is lower compared to more than 802,000 recorded on Jan. 15.
The Omicron variant wave is attributed to causing a spike in hospitalizations of children in recent months. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) aimed to fast-track Pfizer's vaccine for younger children aged six months to four years this month.
However, the FDA and Pfizer opted to suspend these plans after they did not observe expected data on the first two doses. Now, the FDA is waiting to see clinical trial results on a third dose for the youngest children, data that is expected to come in April, CNBC reported.
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