British experts today claimed that arguments to vaccinate children as early as five against Covid were’scientifically weak’ after the US moved closer toward jabbing infants.
Yesterday’s agreement by an advisory panel of the Food and Drug Administration, (FDA), was almost unanimous. It affirmed that the benefits of Pfizer’s under-12s jab outweighed the risks.
The plans are expected to be approved by the American health chiefs within days. This will increase pressure on the UK for a similar move.
British scientists warn that the jabs should not be recommended to primary school-aged children without considering the risks.
MailOnline was told by Professor David Livermore at the University of East Anglia, a medical microbiologist. He said: ‘Vaccinating kids to protect adults via their herd immunity is ethically questionable and scientifically weak.
Myocarditis is still a concern. This is a form of inflammation of the heart that can be detected in children, mostly in boys, and can be found in approximately one in 10,000 cases following vaccination.
Critics claim that children are better off getting protection from the natural world and catching Covid than getting admitted to ICU.
There are signs that the epidemic is being slowed by natural immunity in British children. However, some studies have shown that myocarditis is more common in people with Covid infection than it is in those without it. This complicates the situation.
Professor Russell Viner, a pediatrician who is also a member of the UK Government’s scientific advisory group SAGE, stated that it was vital that the UK doesn’t ‘rush to make a decision’ after the US announcement.
MailOnline was informed by Professor Paul Hunter (left), an infectious diseases expert at the University of East Anglia. He said that the risk of serious illness due to Covid is lower in five- and 12-year-olds than in 12-t-15 year-olds who are currently eligible for a Pfizer vaccination in the UK. Professor David Livermore (right), a medical-microbiologist at UEA says that arguments to extend the rollout to achieve herd immunity are also scientifically weak’
According to Pfizer’s trial, the Pfizer vaccine is 91% effective in children between five and eleven years old for the first four month after it is administered.
The FDA panel used data to justify its decision. It showed that up to 180 children would likely suffer from myocarditis in the event of rollout.
However, it is unlikely that the side effect will cause any deaths.
The rollout would prevent over 200 hospitalisations, and a few deaths in a six-month span.
It was able to stop tens or thousands of infections simultaneously, according to data.
Seventeen of the 18 advisers ruled that the risks outweighed the benefits, while one member remained silent.
To obtain emergency use authorization, the plans must now be approved by the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If the move is approved, it will make Pfizer’s vaccine the first Covid vaccine available for children in that age group.
The panel’s data was based upon Pfizer Phase 3 clinical trial that involved 2,268 five- to eleven-year-olds, which ran from March through September.
Although most cases of myocarditis following the Covid jab are manageable and treatable, UK Government scientists advise that it is not known if the inflammation will have long-term consequences.
This was one reason why the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation(JCVI) didn’t recommend the jabs to 12-15 year-olds, despite the jab having been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
After other health officials deemed that they could prevent disruptions to schools, the UK decided not to proceed with these plans.
Professor Paul Hunter, a University of East Anglia (UEA) infectious disease expert, said that it was unlikely the JCVI would recommend the jabs to children under 12.
Pfizer’s vaccine has not been approved by the MHRA yet for anyone younger than 12.
MailOnline was informed by Professor Hunter that the JCVI concluded that vaccinations for 12- to 15-year olds were not beneficial. I believe they were right.
“I consider them to be the most knowledgeable group to make such an assessment.
‘Given the severity of infection in children under 12 years old is lower than in those aged 12- to 15, the evidence for vaccinating younger children is less.
“We don’t yet know the probability of rare side effects such myocarditis among this age group, so the potential risks could also be higher.”
He added that a significant proportion of children in this age group may have already been infected.
“So, the additional benefits to the child from immunisation in the group are likely to be less than in a similar age group that has not had many infections.
“So, I suspect that the JCVI would not recommend immunization of younger children and I believe they would be right.
Professor David Livermore, a medical-microbiologist at UEA said there is little medical benefit to jabbing the age group since most will already be protected against natural infection.
MailOnline was informed by him that there are less medical reasons for vaccinations of healthy 5- to 11-year olds than healthy 12- to 15-year-olds. They are at low risk of serious disease.
‘Vaccinating children to protect adults via herd immunity is ethically dubious and is scientifically weak — firstly because the vaccines only confer transient protection, not the lifelong immunity needed to drive solid herd immunity.
Pfizer has created six projections to evaluate the risk-reward implications of vaccinating children in order to prevent Covid. They also consider the possibility of experiencing heart inflammation. Scenario 1 – Vaccine is 70% effective against infection, and 88% against hospitalizations. It is only males aged five to 11 who are most at high risk for Covid. Assuming the virus situation has not changed since September 11,
Scenario 2 – Same effectiveness as scenario 1, but cases rise by 20% and hospitalizations by 30%.
Scenario 3: Hospitalizations and covid cases drop 95% and 95% respectively
Scenario 4 – Vaccine is 90% effective against cases and 100% against hospitalizations
Scenario 5 – Use the current death rate as shown on the CDC tracker
Scenario 6
‘And, secondly, because very, very large numbers of children and adolescents have been infected already, progressively decreasing the groups’ contribution to viral circulation.’
Professor Viner said, “It’s important not to confuse making a vaccine for small groups children aged five to eleven who are highly vulnerable and Covid with vaccinating all children otherwise healthy.
‘It’s also important to remember that licensing a vaccine merely makes it available for use in this age group — and that decisions about who and when to vaccinate are entirely separate.
“I believe it is important that children aged 5-11 who are extremely vulnerable to Covid get vaccinations as teens and adults. This is a good step in the right direction.
“But very few children at this age are actually highly susceptible to Covid.
‘The data from the UK’s first pandemic year showed that Covid caused extremely few deaths and serious illnesses in this age group, with almost all of these in small groups of children who are at higher risk due to other medical conditions.’
Up to February 2021, there were 259 Covid admissions at ICU for children under 18 in England. 22 of those admitted had no underlying medical problems.
Sixteen of the 25 children who died from this virus at the same time didn’t appear to have comorbidities.
Professor Viner stated that while every death of a child in this world is unacceptable, we need to carefully weigh the benefits and risks of immunizing younger children. We must not rush to make a decision nor follow the lead of other nations.
“As for younger adolescents, the balance of risk and benefits for vaccinating well-fed children is likely complex and will involve a variety of ethical and social issues.
“Risk balances in the UK will be different than those in the US, because we have more complete data and a health care system that protects vulnerable people.
Tory MPs and parents were furious at the decision to vaccinate all children over 12 years old. They feared that their children would get a vaccine against them.
If they are competent enough, children can override the wishes of their parents about vaccines. However, it is not a common occurrence according to Nadhim Zahawi, former vaccine minister.
There are increasing calls to increase vaccine uptake among teenagers following a spike in outbreaks in classrooms.
Teachers unions expressed their frustration with the slow pace of vaccinations, which has only 20 percent of the age group covered so far.
The US FDA advisory panel yesterday voted unanimously, with one abstention, that the vaccine’s benefits in preventing Covid in five- to 12-year-olds outweigh any potential risks.
These questions include questions about a side effect that may cause heart problems in teenagers and young adults, despite the fact that they received a much higher dose of vaccine.
While children are far less likely than older people to get severe Covid, the panelists argued it is important to give parents the choice to protect their youngsters — especially those at high risk of illness or who live in places where other precautions, like masks in schools, are not being used.
Dr Amanda Cohn, a panel member at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), stated that “This age group deserves and should be given the same opportunity to get vaccinated”
The FDA is not bound by the panel’s recommendation and is expected to make its own decision within days.
If the FDA is in agreement, there’s still one step. Next week, the CDC must decide whether or not to recommend the jabs for which children.
Graph: This graph shows the proportion of people in different age categories who tested positive to Covid antibodies (green), and have had a second vaccine dose (darkblue line) or a first vaccine (lightblue line) during the weeks from December 7 through September 27.
The jab for children five to 11 years old will be ten milligrams. This is one-third of the adult dose of 30 milligrams.
Pfizer stated that the optimal dose to elicit strong immune responses and a safe profile was 10ug.
It will be the same as the doses given to adults in the US. The doses will be two-shot, with the doses being at least three weeks apart.
Pfizer and BioNTech are both highly recommended for anyone over 12 years old.
The extra-contagious delta variant of the virus has caused a significant rise in paediatric infection. Families are frustrated with school quarantines, having to say no at sleepovers and other childhood rites to keep the virus at bay.
There have been more than 8,300 hospitalisations in the five-to-11 years, with nearly 100 deaths and one third needing intensive care.
States are getting ready to roll out the jabs — just a third of the amount given to teens and adults — that will come in special orange-capped vials to avoid dosage mix-ups.
Pfizer has created six projections that will help determine the risk-reward outcome of vaccinations for children. This is to prevent Covid cases and also to expose them to the small chance of developing heart inflammation.
The model revealed that the vaccine could potentially save thousands of Covid patients, hundreds of hospitalisations, as well as a small number of deaths.
The projects also suggested that the vaccine could cause dozens of cases of myocarditis.