Why children cannot get the COVID-19 vaccine yet. Here’s who else might have to wait

Now that doses of Moderna’s Vaccine for covid-19 are being distributed along with the Pfizer vaccine, the first wave of vaccinations against the coronavirus is in full swing. For the vast majority of people, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to be safe in large-scale clinical trials lasting months. The same goes for Moderna’s vaccine. But, as with any new drug, medical professionals encourage caution when taking coronavirus vaccines, especially for people who have had adverse reactions to any vaccine in the past.

For example, one of the safety precautions that is becoming standard with coronavirus vaccines it involves staying in place for a period of time after the injection to give medical professionals time to monitor any adverse reactions. This does not mean that doctors expect something bad to happen. Of the more than 1.1 million people who have been vaccinated so far in the United States, only a small handful have had allergic reactions or other types of reactions.

Read More: Discover your priority to receive the coronavirus vaccine

But what about children, people with known allergies and pregnant or nursing mothers? Here, we compile the available data from the FDA and CDC, along with information from leading health experts, to present a guide on who is advised to do the Vaccine for covid-19 and who should contact a medical professional first.

When will there be a COVID-19 vaccine for children?

At the moment, the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine is authorized for use in people aged 16 and over. (Moderna’s is designed for people over 18). That’s because, of the several dozen COVID-19 vaccines under development, including Pfizer and Moderna, none have been tested on children 12 and under. This is expected. Typically, vaccines are tested in adults first, before researchers start testing in children, since the drug is considered relatively safe.

Another factor is that COVID-19 appears to save children from the worst results. A September CDC report counted only 121 children among the 190,000 people who have died so far in the United States from coronavirus. Another survey found that children catch and spread the coronavirus about half of adults, although they are still considered vectors in the spread of COVID-19, especially among high-risk populations. For example, a CDC report this summer highlighted a summer camp in Georgia where the coronavirus has spread, resulting in more than 250 children and young adults tested positive for COVID-19.

Moderna will soon start pediatric clinical trials with children aged 12 to 17, the company announced in early December. It is a good sign.

Can people with allergies get the COVID-19 vaccine?

In the United Kingdom, on the first day of administration of the Pfizer vaccine, doctors observed two patients who had severe allergic reactions to the drug. British doctors are now being instructed to monitor patients for 15 minutes after administering the COVID-19 vaccine. In the United States, six serious allergic reactions occurred in about 272,000 vaccines administered before December 19, according to the CDC. (There are now more than 1.1 million people in the United States who have been vaccinated.)

The FDA says complications are rare and that some people may have an allergic reaction to the COVID-19 vaccines, such as anaphylaxis or tissue swelling, from both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Some scientists are investigating whether the cause is an ingredient in the vaccine – but not the COVID-19 mRNA itself – which may be triggering some reactions, the Wall Street Journal reported on December 25.

“The CDC recommends that people with a history of severe allergic reactions unrelated to vaccines or injectable medications – such as allergies to food, pets, poison, the environment or latex – can still be vaccinated,” says the agency in one of its COVID -19 page Vaccines and severe allergic reactions.

The FDA has published an information leaflet on the Pfizer vaccine and a separate information leaflet on the Modern vaccine. Both publications warn: “A severe allergic reaction usually occurs within a few minutes to an hour after taking a dose …” Both sheets list several signs and symptoms of such an allergic reaction:

• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of the face and throat
• A fast heartbeat
• A full body rash
• Dizziness and weakness

If you have a history of allergies, you can expect to be monitored for 15 to 30 minutes after receiving the vaccine.

The FDA also recommends that you should not get the Pfizer vaccine if you have ever had a serious reaction to any of these ingredients:

• Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)
• Lipids ((4-hydroxybutyl) azanediyl) bis (hexane-6,1-diyl) bis (2-hexyldecanoate) 2 [(polyethylene glycol)-2000]-N, N-dithetradecylacetamide 1,2-Distearoil-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and cholesterol)
• Potassium chloride
• Potassium phosphate monobasic
• Sodium Chloride
• Dibasic sodium phosphate dihydrate
• Sucrose

The FDA also recommends avoiding Moderna’s vaccine if you are allergic to any of its ingredients:

• mRNA
• Lipids (SM-102, polyethylene glycol [PEG] 2,000 dimiristoyl glycerol [DMG], cholesterol and 1,2-distearoil-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine [DSPC])
• Tromethamine
• Tromethamine hydrochloride
• Acetic Acid
• Sodium acetate
• Sucrose

You can still get the vaccine, even if you have had allergic reactions to vaccines in the past. In its most up-to-date guidelines, the CDC echoes the FDA in stating that just because you have had a serious allergic reaction because you have been vaccinated in the past, this should not automatically prevent you from being vaccinated against COVID-19.

“These people can still receive the vaccination, but they should be counseled about the unknown risks of developing a serious allergic reaction and compare those risks with the benefits of the vaccination,” says the CDC on its website.

Is the vaccine safe if you are pregnant or breastfeeding?

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, the FDA leaves the decision to take any of the COVID-19 vaccines currently authorized for you and your doctor. Regulators in the UK have so far recommended against it until vaccines can be tested on pregnant and breastfeeding women. (There has been no clinical trial for this group so far.) Although coronavirus vaccines have not yet been studied in lactating women and pregnant women, many scientists believe that they are generally safe and that the benefits outweigh the potential risks.

If I cannot get the vaccine, how will I be protected against COVID-19?

If you are a patient with a health problem that is advised against taking the COVID-19 vaccine by your doctor, you may have to wait until enough people have been vaccinated in the USA to protect yourself. Even if you don’t get the vaccine yourself, being surrounded by enough vaccinated people – what is known as “herd immunity” – can provide a measure of protection against the coronavirus. But it will take time. It may be necessary for up to 90% of the population to become immune to the disease before those who are still susceptible can be considered safe.

To start this process, the best thing you can do for now is to follow the CDC safety guidelines: wear a mask whenever you are indoors (except in your own home), wear a mask in public, avoid large crowds and keep at least six feet away from people you don’t live with.

It will take some time for life to return to normal. To get a sense of how long, take a look at this timeline of when different groups will be able to taking the COVID-19 vaccine. There will likely be several coronavirus vaccines coming out in the coming months, and which one will you take it will also help you determine when you can take it. Finally, here’s our updated list of places where you can get the vaccine.

The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended for medical or health advice. Always consult a doctor or other qualified healthcare professional regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.