Vaccinating Children against COVID-19: Commentary and Mathematical Modeling.

ABSTRACT: With the recent licensure of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 in the 5- to 11-year-old age group, the public health impact of a childhood immunization campaign is of interest. Using a mathematical epidemiological model, we project that childhood vaccination carries minimal risk and yields modest public health benefits. These include large relative reductions in child morbidity and mortality, although the absolute reduction is small because these events are rare. Furthermore, the model predicts "altruistic" absolute reductions in adult cases, hospitalizations, and mortality. However, vaccinating children to benefit adults should be considered from an ethical as well as a public health perspective. From a global health perspective, an additional ethical consideration is the justice of giving p

SUBMITTER: Hawkes MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8764932 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature