Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Covid Shots For Kids Under 12 Unlikely To Be Approved Until Late 2021
Politico: NIH Director: Vaccine Approval For Kids Unlikely Before Late 2021
One of the federal government’s top public health experts on Tuesday predicted it is unlikely children under the age of 12 will be eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine before late 2021, contradicting the speedier timelines offered by other Biden administration officials. Vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna are currently studying the shot’s safety and efficacy in younger children and infants, with Pfizer expected to deliver the results of its trials for 5-11-year-olds to the Food and Drug Administration sometime in September. (Forgey, 8/24)
CNN: Next Up For Covid Vaccines: Kids Under 12
The US Food and Drug Administration has given full approval to Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine for people age 16 and older. Approval for youths ages 12-15 is expected to follow soon. "I don't think it'll be long before they extend it to 12 to 15 -- maybe within a few weeks to a month or so," said Dr. Bob Frenck, director of the Vaccine Research Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Parents are already clamoring to hear more about approval or authorization for children under 12, however. Studies looking at that are underway. (Fox, 8/24)
The Wall Street Journal: Some Parents Push To Give Covid-19 Vaccine To Children Under 12, Against Government Guidance
Monday’s decision prompted many parents to call their pediatricians and ask them whether they will administer vaccines for children under 12. The FDA’s approval generally means vaccines are eligible for off-label use, meaning beyond approved populations, but the CDC said Monday they aren’t authorizing that. Pfizer’s vaccine is authorized for emergency use for children aged 12 and up and fully approved for those 16 and up. Moderna Inc.’s and Johnson & Johnson’s vaccines are authorized only for those 18 and over and aren’t fully approved. Parents are reporting mixed success. Some say they have been able to schedule appointments, while others say they have been refused. (Schwartz and Marie Chaker, 8/24)
In news on covid infections among children —
CNN: US Coronavirus: Covid Cases Among Children Have Surged To One Of Its Highest Rates Of The Pandemic. Experts Warn It May Get Worse
Last week, the number of Covid-19 cases in children in the US reached levels not seen since the winter surge. And with the return to school, the Delta variant on the rise and winter approaching, health officials are concerned it could get worse. After a decline in early summer, child cases have increased exponentially -- with more than a four-fold increase in the past month, according to the latest report from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's Hospital Association. From about 38,000 cases a week near the end of July, the week ending August 19 saw more than 180,000 cases in children, the report said. (Holcombe, 8/25)
