Vaccinating Children Against COVID-19 is Essential Prior to the Removal of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions.

ABSTRACT: To evaluate the joint impact of childhood vaccination rates and masking policies, in schools and workplaces, on community transmission and severe outcomes due to COVID-19. We utilized a stochastic, agent-based simulation of North Carolina, to evaluate the impact of 24 health policy decisions on overall incidence of disease, COVID-19 related hospitalization, and mortality from July 1, 2021-July 1, 2023. Universal mask removal in schools in January 2022 could lead to a 38.1-47%, 27.6-36.2%, and 15.9-19.7% increase in cumulative infections for ages 5-9, 10-19, and the total population, respectively, depending on the rate of vaccination of children relative to the adult population. Additionally, without increased vaccination uptake in the adult population, a 25% increase in child vaccination u

SUBMITTER: Rosenstrom E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8669851 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature