- The UK has now recommended the vaccine for children aged 12 to 15 following the advice of its top medical officers, placing it in line with the United States and many other European countries, which have been inoculating this age group for months. England’s chief medical officer, Professor Chris Whitty, said on Monday that the measure was expected to reduce the spread of Covid in schools, although he said vaccines would not eliminate it and should be maintained. policies to minimize transmission.
- The UK’s new orientation has invigorated a debate over consent, especially when a parent and child disagree. While parents in the UK generally need to authorize vaccination for children under 16, children can cancel hesitant parents if a doctor considers them ‘competent’ to do so.
- In the United States, most children cannot take this power into their own hands, with 41 states requiring parental consent for the vaccination of children under 18 years of age. Nebraska requires parental consent until age 19. Five states have a “mature minor doctrine,” meaning there is no specific age requirement, with providers able to decide whether a minor has the maturity to consent. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said Sunday that if more people are not persuaded to get vaccinated through messages from health officials and “trusted political messengers,” they could having additional mandates from schools and companies. be necessary. Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden announced vaccination requirements that include a mandate for companies with more than 100 employees that require vaccination or regular testing.
- According to Fauci, American children between the ages of 5 and 11 could receive the green light for U.S. Food and Drug Administration vaccines sometime this fall. Pfizer CEO said Tuesday that the company plans to submit data on its vaccine from studies related to that age group later this month.
- Meanwhile, the debate over reinforcement shots continues. Three separate articles published last week in the CDC’s weekly morbidity and mortality report suggest we don’t need them, and a group of international scientists on vaccination say current evidence doesn’t seem to support the need for booster shots. to the general public. But a study in Israel, where the third shot was already fired, indicated that the power of vaccines to prevent people from getting very sick with Covid-19 diminished over time. Last month, Biden announced his administration’s intention to launch a booster program on Sept. 20, despite the WHO’s call for nations to expect vaccines to be more available worldwide.
YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED.
Q: Why does the approval of Covid vaccines for younger children need more time?
A: Millions of adults have been safely and effectively vaccinated against Covid-19, but these results are no substitute for the necessary research in children.
Dr. James Versalovic, acting pediatrician at Texas Children’s Hospital, explains why. “As we like to say in pediatrics: children are not young adults. Children are children,” he said. “Their bodies develop and will react differently, and we have to treat them differently.”
For people up to 12 years of age, vaccine manufacturers relied on adult trials with an approach known as “immunobridging,” a process that seeks an immune response in children similar to that of adults.
The data showed that for this age group, the immune response was equivalent to that of adults.
READINGS OF THE WEEK
Will Biden vaccine mandates work? The France experiment can provide clues
As of August 1, anyone without a “health pass” proving their vaccination status or a recent negative test could not enter bars and cafes or travel long distances by train. Healthcare workers (a group of approximately 2.7 million people in France) who are not vaccinated are fired or suspended without pay.
Despite some early opposition, Macron’s bet seems to get significant rewards. Immediately after his July 12 speech, there was an increase in vaccination appointments in France. Thanks, in part, to its rate of inflammation vaccination, along with a massive increase in tests related to the Covid Pass, and the reintroduction of mask warrants in regions heavily affected by the Delta variant. across Europe and the US. A month after the new health system in France, data from the country’s health agency show a general decrease in hospital and ICU admissions since the summer highs.
The strict 21-day Chinese quarantine in question after a new outbreak
A man who completed 21 days of mandatory quarantine on his return to China from abroad has been identified as the likely source of a new outbreak, raising questions about the sustainability of the country’s zero-coveted strategy, among the most strict of the world, Nectar Gan and Steve George writes.
The man had tested negative for the virus nine times during the 21 days of quarantine, before testing positive on Friday, 37 days after entering China, according to state media. Chinese authorities did not reveal when, where or how the man caught the virus, but an incubation period of more than 21 days is very unusual.
The new outbreak in Fujian province, on the southeast coast of China, has infected more than 60 people, including 15 elementary students. It emerged just two weeks after China contained the worst coronavirus attack in more than a year, highlighting the growing challenge of the highly contagious Delta variant, even in the face of stricter measures.
SUPERIOR COUNCIL
Don’t be afraid to ask questions at your child’s school
One of the most risky scenarios during school hours is during meal time, when children do not wear masks and can pile up. As a parent, you can take steps to reduce the risk by asking what arrangements your child’s school can offer during lunch and snack time, says Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN medical analyst.
You can also ask about quarantine protocols. How will you know if another child is positive? Is it mandatory for all class members to quarantine or are testing an option that could reduce the need for a long quarantine and, with face-to-face schooling time, lost? This is another case in which quick and frequent tests are useful; What types of testing options are made available to students and their families?