How important is the COVID-19 booster shot for 5-to-11-year-olds? 5 questions answered – KFOR Oklahoma City

(The Conversation) COVID-19 case numbers are rising again in the U.S. includingamong children. In mid-May 2022, the Food and Drug Administration authorized a booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine forU.S. children ages 5 to 11, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention followed byrecommending a booster shotfor this age group.

Naturally, many parents are wondering about the importance and safety of a booster shot for their school-age children.Debbie-Ann Shirley, apediatric infectious disease specialistat the University of Virginia, answers some common questions about COVID-19 and booster shots in kids that she hears in her practice and explains the research behind why booster shots are recommended for children ages 5 to 11.

COVID-19 is generally milder in children than adults, but severe disease can occur. As of late May 2022, more than 15,000 children ages 5 to 11have been hospitalizedwith COVID-19 and180 childrenhave died. During the height of the recent winter surge ofthe highly transmissible omicron variant, 87% of the children in the 5-to-11 age groupwho became hospitalized with COVID-19 were unvaccinated.

In addition, the rare but serious condition that can follow in the weeks after COVID-19 infection, known asMultisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, or MIS-C, most commonly occurs among children ages 5 to 11. Over3,800 cases of MIS-C have been reportedin that 5-to-11 age group, and93% of the childrenwho developed this complication were unvaccinated.

For some vaccines including those for COVID-19 effectiveness wanes over time.Booster shotshelp to bolster the immune response. Severalchildhood vaccines, such as the tetanus and diphtheria vaccines, require booster shots.

COVID-19 boosters have been shown to improve waning protectionin adolescentsandadults. Side effects are similar to those reported with the initial series. The risk of myocarditis, or heart inflammation a rare side effect that can occur following COVID-19 vaccination seems to be less after a third dose thanafter the second.

When administered to children 5 to 11 years old, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine generated levels of antibody response similar to that in 16-to-25-year-olds ina clinical trial, which was the basis for theFDAs initial authorization of the shotsin October 2021. Butstudies after the shots were authorizedfound thatvaccine effectiveness rapidly wanedin the 5-to-11 age group during the omicron surge. Despite that, the shots continued to beprotective against severe disease and hospitalization.

Vaccination has alsobeen shown to be be highly protectiveagainst Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children.How to talk to kids about getting vaccinated.

In a clinical trial, researchers tested the Pfizer vaccine in children 5 to 11 using a 10-microgram booster dose, which is the same dose children received for the primary series and is one-third the dose used for adolescents and adults. When tested among 401 children,no new safety concerns arose, and in the smaller subset of children in which the immune response was tested, the third shotsignificantly increased antibody responses, including against the omicron variant. Hence, a third dose seems beneficial for boosting immunity in this age group, similar to older age groups.

The booster dose can be givenfive months or moreafter the second shot. But as of late May 2022, fewer thanone-thirdof children ages 5 to 11 had received two shots, meaning that onlyabout 8 millionschool-age children were eligible to start receiving the booster. This could prove an important layer of protection for them andhelp limit disruptionson schooling and summer activities, particularly asmask mandates have gone by the wayside.

Children withweakened immune systemswho were at first authorized to receive three initial doses of COVID-19 vaccine may now also receive a booster shot or a fourth dose as soon as three monthsafter their third dose.

As of late May 2022, more than18.5 milliondoses of the COVID-19 vaccine had been administered to children in the 5-to-11 age group. MostCOVID-19 vaccine side effects such as pain at the injection site have been mild and short-lived in children. Fatigue, headache and muscle aches are other common side effects.

Reports suggest that most cases of myocarditis that follow vaccination typicallyimprove quickly with medicine and rest. Rates of myocarditishave been lowerin children ages 5 to 11 than in teens. In any age group, myocarditis is more likely to occurafter infectionthan vaccination.

For parents of kids ages 6 months to 5 years, COVID-19 vaccines are also finally within sight. On May 23, 2022, Pfizerreleased new data for this age group, stating that three shots generated strong antibody responses, were well tolerated with no new safety concerns and, based on preliminary data, the series was 80% effective at preventing COVID-19 infection. In late April 2022,Modernareleased similar data showing that two doses of its vaccine stimulated good antibody responses and were tolerated well by kids under age 6.

The FDA isset to meet in June 2022to discuss new low-dose formulations of theModernaandPfizervaccines for this group.

If it is authorized by the FDA, the CDC will then provide recommendations on its use for the more than 20 million children ages 6 months to 5 years in the U.S.

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How important is the COVID-19 booster shot for 5-to-11-year-olds? 5 questions answered - KFOR Oklahoma City