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Risk Management

COVID-19 Roundup: Vaccine for Children, Risk of Delta Variant, Booster Doses

FDA Authorizes COVID-19 Vaccine Emergency Use for Children Aged 5 to 11 Years1

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to prevent COVID-19 among children aged 5 to 11 years. The authorization comes after the FDA’s evaluation of data provided by experts from an independent advisory committee that voted largely in favor of the use of the vaccine among children in this age group.

Studies show the vaccine is 90.7% effective for preventing COVID-19 infection in children aged 5 to 11 years. No serious adverse effects have been found in an in ongoing study of 3100 children in that age group who received the vaccine.

The Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine is administered in 2 doses, 3 weeks apart, and children aged 5 to 11 years will receive a 10-μg dose compared with people aged 12 years and older who receive a 30-μg dose.

COVID-19 Vaccination Reduces Risk of Delta Variant, Accelerates Viral Clearance2

Vaccination against the virus that causes COVID-19 reduces the risk of infection from the delta variant, and people who are vaccinated experience accelerated viral clearance, according to a recent study.

The researchers also found that fully vaccinated people who have breakthrough infections have peak viral load, similar to people who are unvaccinated. Moreover, people who are fully vaccinated can still transmit the delta variant, including to others who are fully vaccinated. The viral trajectory may be shaped by host-virus interactions early in infection.

New Recommendations for Additional Primary and Booster Doses of COVID-19 Vaccines3

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issued new recommendations for an additional primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose for people who are immunocompromised and a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose for some groups.

The new recommendations include an additional homologous dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 12 years or older who are immunocompromised and an additional homologous dose of the Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for people aged 18 years or older who are immunocompromised. The additional dose should be administered at least 28 days after the second dose.

Recipients of a primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine should receive a booster dose at least 6 months after the primary series if they are included in 1 of 3 groups: people aged 65 years or older, people aged 18 years or older and live in a long-term care facility, or people aged 50 to 64 years with eligible underlying health conditions.

People aged 18 to 49 years with certain underlying medical conditions and people aged 18 to 64 years who are at increased risk of exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19 may also receive a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose.

People aged 18 years or older who received the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine should receive a booster dose at least 2 months after primary vaccination.

Any approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccine can be used for a booster dose, regardless of the primary vaccination type.

 

—Jessica Bard 

 

References:

  1. FDA authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in children 5 through 11 years of age. News release. US Food and Drug Administration. October 29, 2021. Accessed November 1, 2021. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-emergency-use-children-5-through-11-years-age
  2. Singanayagam A, Hakki S, Dunning J, et al; ATACC Study Investigators. Community transmission and viral load kinetics of the SARS-CoV-2 delta (B.1.617.2) variant in vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in the UK: a prospective, longitudinal, cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. Published online October 29, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(21)00648-4 
  3. Mbaeyi S, Oliver SE, Collins JP, et al. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ interim recommendations for additional primary and booster doses of COVID-19 vaccines––United States, 2021. MMWR Morb Mort Wkly Rep. Published online October 29, 2021. http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7044e2