Is it important to vaccinate young people against covid? It’s possible? And from what age? Experts more or less all agree that children should also be immunized.
PALMA
“If vaccinating against Covid in schools from an organizational point of view finds many agree that it is a winning strategy, in the pediatric field the question of whether it is appropriate to have an anti-Covid vaccine in this age group is instead much discussed. . If, however, it is true that there do not seem to be very severe symptoms in this class of population, it is also true that in a situation like this today, leaving an age group without coverage means that it represents a potential reservoir of contagion. ‘evolutionary perspective: we are moving towards a reality in which the variants of Sars-CoV-2 are increasing and some are giving us problems even in the smallest ones. These elements push us to consider the indication to make the vaccine also in pediatric groups “. This is the reflection of Paolo Palma, head of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology at the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital in Rome. “It is true, we are talking about a population that has a low epidemiology – says the expert at Adnkronos Salute – and the boys are not superspreaders, but even this given that they become infected less is not entirely true. data at CDC level “Americans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” which showed that in Mississippi between May and September 2020 the infected among the under 18s were less than 9 thousand according to medical reports; instead they were estimated in almost 114 thousand, on the basis of a study on serology “, which investigated the presence of antibodies against Sars-CoV-2, in the same period.
TAIL
“The goal” to be aimed at in the fight against Covid-19 “is to vaccinate” adolescents “aged 12 to 16”, as soon as the international regulatory authorities have approved the shield injections for this age group. , “but I also believe under the age of 12. Obviously the vaccine must be effective and safe.” This was underlined by Roberto Cauda, director of the Infectious Diseases Operating Unit of the Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, who spoke at ‘Agorà’ on Rai3. After the European Medicines Agency Ema announced the start of the evaluation of the extension of use of Pfizer / BioNTech’s anti-Covid vaccine in 12-15 year olds, Cauda explains that it is right to protect even the youngest: “Absolutely yes” , he says, specifying that “there are no vaccinations that exclude age groups. All vaccinations, we know well, are done in children,” he observes. Furthermore, “there is this big debate” relating to the fact “that, if the entire population is not vaccinated – warns the infectious disease specialist – there is a risk that we will have a sort of endemic in the youngest”. A segment of the population in which “maybe the disease” Covid-19 “does not show itself, but there are infections”, Sars-CoV-2 circulates and the danger is that “sooner or later the virus will undergo mutations with variants that they can make current vaccines less effective. “
WOW
“Continue with the vaccination campaign, we hope finally extended to everyone, even the youngest, as we have hoped from the beginning, to make the school ever safer”. And “forward with the system actions, which have been invoked for some time: transport first of all, now that everyone, really everyone, has realized their extreme danger as they are now, if they are not strengthened and made safe”. The medical director of the Inmi Spallanzani of Rome, Francesco Vaia, writes on Facebook.
MENICHETTI
“Vaccinations at school? I’m not unfavorable. The protection of young people makes little sense in terms of preventing the disease because Covid 19 has little relevance in healthy young people”, however “it would be of significant importance if it is certain that these vaccines reduce the spread of infection”. Virologist Francesco Menichetti, head of infectious diseases at the hospital in Pisa, tells Adnkronos Health. “For now, the evidence is limited – he underlines – There are elements that suggest an efficacy in this sense, but we do not have a well-established and hinged grade 1 evidence. I have the impression – says the virologist – that the vaccination policy depending on how the air blows. And I say this with great respect, because I have young daughters and I would like them to be vaccinated. But vaccination policies must be made based on priorities and demonstrated efficacy. Then it is clear that you are also moving on the edge of the hypothesis “.
GALLI
“The situation linked to the new variants is such as to make it important to be able to vaccinate even under the age of 16. It is quite clear that the English variant, the main one in circulation, has an unfortunate ability to spread even among children. This does not imply Fortunately for us, they become seriously ill, but it makes children a reservoir for the virus, where it can continue to evolve. This is why it is necessary to block its spread even in that age group. To do this, however, there must be an approved vaccine “. Massimo Galli, director of the Infectious Diseases clinic of the Sacco hospital in Milan, said this to Adnkronos Health, commenting on the statements of the Commissioner for the Covid Emergency, Francesco Paolo Figliuolo who hypothesizes vaccination for children in schools. Galli recalls, however, that there is still a step to be taken. “Vaccination for children is desirable. But in the current state of affairs there are no vaccines authorized under the age of 16. The point is to at least get authorization. Today people aged 12 to 16, who often have a body structure comparable to a slender adult, I am out of vaccination because there has not been a specific experiment. I hope that this obstacle will soon be overcome and that children can also be vaccinated soon, with experimental data available. be even longer “, he concludes.