In the Hunt for a COVID-19 Vaccine, Children Are Left Behind

The hunt for a COVID-19 vaccine¹ for children is only just beginning and that has some American pediatricians worried. Those doctors are concerned they may not know if any vaccine works for young children in time for the next school year.

Older adults may be most at risk from the coronavirus, but ending the COVID-19 pandemic will require vaccinating² children, too. Last week, drug maker³ Pfizer received permission to test its vaccine in U.S. children as young as 12 years old. It is one of only a few tests around the world to consider if any of the experimental vaccines⁴ made for adults also can protect children.

"I just figured the more people they have to do tests on, the quicker they can put out a vaccine and people will be safe and healthy," said 16-year-old Katelyn Evans. She became the first teenager to get an injection in the Pfizer study at Cincinnati Children's Hospital in Ohio.

Several possible vaccines are in studies in tens of thousands of adults. Scientists hope they will find evidence that some of them are safe and effective enough for widespread use.

But when the first vaccines are ready, they are unlikely to be approved for children. Vaccines cannot be given to youngsters unless they have been tested in their age group. This is a big problem for efforts to reopen schools and restart other activities.

"The public doesn't understand that," said Doctor Evan Anderson of Emory University, in Georgia. He has been pushing for COVID-19 vaccine tests for children.

While Anderson is pleased by Pfizer's study in teenagers, he finds it "very concerning" that children younger than 12 may not have a vaccine by a year from now.

Children represent about 10 percent of COVID-19 cases documented in the United States. Children are far less likely than adults to get very sick, but about 120 have died just in the U.S., notes the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). That is about how many U.S. children die from influenza⁵ each year. In addition, a small number of children have developed a serious inflammatory condition linked to coronavirus.

Anderson says COVID-19′s effect on children is greater than some other diseases that require pediatric vaccinations⁶.

Also unclear is the question of how easily children can infect others. In a letter to federal health officials, the AAP noted⁷ evidence that those over age 10 may spread the virus just as easily as adults do.

It is not right to ask "children to take on great burdens during this pandemic but not have the opportunity to benefit from a vaccine," wrote Dr. Sara Goza. She is president of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Around the world, some studies are just beginning. In China, two companies, Sinovac and SinoPharm, have launched studies that can test children as young as 3.

A British study of a vaccine by AstraZeneca permits testing of a small amount of the drug in children. But the company says it will not be doing any tests until it has more safety information from adults.

Testing children is critical, said Dr. Robert Frenck. He operates the Vaccine Research Center at Cincinnati Children's.

Vaccinating children and teenagers will have "the effect of keeping those children from getting infected. But then also they don't bring the infection home to parents and grandparents," he said.

After Frenck announced Pfizer's testing for teenagers, 90 families contacted him for more information. The researchers now say they plan to test 12- to 15-year-olds soon.

Teenager Katelyn Evans does not know if she got the real vaccine or not. Tests give some people the real vaccine, while others get a placebo⁸ to compare the results. But she is pleased to be part of the study.

If the Pfizer vaccine works in adults and teenagers without any harmful effects, researchers can begin testing it on younger children. Those studies will be very different and more complex, adds Anderson, because children may need smaller amounts and their natural defenses against disease react differently to vaccines.

Words In This Story

pediatrician – n. a doctor who specializes in tracing children

pandemic - n. a contagious⁹ disease that effects many countries

teenager - n. a child between the ages of 13-19

inflammatory - n. being swollen¹⁰ and hot

burden - n. heavy demands on someone

benefit - n. something that is to a person's advantage

placebo - n. fake medicine used in medical testing

1 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

2 vaccinating   

给…接种疫苗( vaccinate的现在分词 )； 注射疫苗，接种疫苗

参考例句：

• At first blush, vaccinating the wolves against rabies seems a simple solution. 乍一看来，为狼群注射防狂犬病疫苗是一种简单的办法。
• Also vaccinating children against misers (measles) has saved many lives. 还有，给儿童进行疫苗接种防止麻疹也挽救了许多生命。

3 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

4 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

5 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

6 vaccinations   

n.种痘，接种( vaccination的名词复数 )；牛痘疤

参考例句：

• Vaccinations ensure one against diseases. 接种疫苗可以预防疾病。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I read some publicity about vaccinations while waiting my turn at the doctor's. 在医生那儿候诊时，我读了一些关于接种疫苗的宣传。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 placebo   

n.安慰剂；宽慰话

参考例句：

• The placebo has been found to work with a lot of different cases.人们已发现安慰剂能在很多不同的病例中发挥作用。
• The placebo effect refers to all the observable behaviors caused by placebo.安慰剂效应是指由安慰剂所引起的可观察的行为。

9 contagious   

adj.传染性的，有感染力的

参考例句：

• It's a highly contagious infection.这种病极易传染。
• He's got a contagious laugh.他的笑富有感染力。

10 swollen   

adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀

参考例句：

• Her legs had got swollen from standing up all day.因为整天站着，她的双腿已经肿了。
• A mosquito had bitten her and her arm had swollen up.蚊子叮了她，她的手臂肿起来了。