How COVID-19 affects children is little yet known in some countries [1,2]. In sub-Saharan Africa, COVID-19 hospitalization and deaths do not break down the cases by age through some official tallies [1,2]. Thus, pediatricians don’t know how outcomes of COVID-19 might be affected by some conditions (e.g. concurrent tuberculosis, or HIV infection, or malnutrition) and which deaths were in children and young adults, including what will be the burden of co-infection in children, such as massive circulation of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and respiratory syncytial virus [1,2]. Currently, China, Israel, and USA are offering vaccines (Moderna-mRNA vaccine, Pfizer/BioNTech-mRNA vaccine, and two Chinese vaccines produced by Sinovac and Sinopharm) to young individuals over the age of 12 [1,2]. Several studies on COVID-19 vaccines, including two Indian COVID-19 vaccines (Zydus Cadila and Covaxin (inactivated coronavirus) vaccines) are expected to report results in young individuals over the age of 12 very soon [1,2]. In USA, COVID-19 vaccines for children under the age of 12 might be available in the late 2021, whereas some companies have started on carrying out clinical vaccine trials in as-young-as-six-months children [1,2].

References

1. Ledford H. “Should children get COVID vaccines? What the science says”. Nature 7869 (2021): 638-639.
2. Han B. “Safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CoronaVac) in healthy children and adolescents: a double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 1/2 clinical trial”. Lancet Infectious Diseases (2021).