Kids who got booster were infectious for same duration as unvaccinated kids
A new study conducted in California has found that children who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 are infectious for the same amount of time as their non-vaccinated peers. The study, which took place from April to September 2022, analyzed the viral shedding patterns of children aged seven to 18. It found that both vaccinated and unvaccinated children were infectious for an average of three days. These findings raise questions about the necessity of Covid booster shots for children, especially since some states previously mandated vaccines in schools.
The study, carried out by experts from Stanford University and the University of California, Los Angeles, suggests that return-to-school policies may not need to discriminate based on vaccine or booster status. Lead author Dr. Neeraj Sood emphasized that the study did not examine the vaccines’ ability to prevent initial infection.
It’s important to note that the study was conducted before Pfizer’s original bivalent booster was approved and before the spread of the Omicron subvariants. Therefore, the youngest children in the study likely only received the standard two-dose vaccine course. The effectiveness of vaccines and the duration of protection can vary with different vaccine types and virus variant combinations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has revised its Covid vaccine recommendations to suggest that healthy children and adolescents may not need a shot. However, every child in the study tested positive for the Omicron variant. Of the 76 children included in the study, 52 were vaccinated. The study’s findings align with a previous study on adults with the Omicron variant, which also found no association between vaccination status and the length of contagiousness.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend Covid boosters for all children, uptake remains low. A study published in July 2023 reported that only 39 percent of children aged five to 11 and 55 percent of teenagers have received a booster dose. Bivalent boosters have shown effectiveness in preventing severe cases, but their ability to prevent initial infection remains unclear.
Parents’ hesitation to vaccinate their children is driven by the perception that children are less likely to become severely ill with Covid. However, widespread school closures have impacted children’s mental health and academic performance. Parents and experts are divided on the benefits of pediatric booster shots, with some emphasizing the potential risks and others highlighting the importance of in-person instruction.
The study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, aimed to understand the behavior of the virus and the duration of its contagiousness in children. By measuring viral shedding, the researchers gained insights into how the virus is spread through coughing, sneezing, and talking.
In conclusion, this study adds more doubt about the necessity of Covid booster shots for children. It challenges the idea that vaccinated children are less infectious than their unvaccinated peers. While the study did not assess the vaccines’ ability to prevent initial infection, it raises questions about the need for vaccine mandates in schools. The debate around pediatric booster shots continues as researchers analyze the effectiveness and risks associated with these vaccinations.