Oxford University recently communicated that it would begin with its vaccination trials for girls and boys, using doses of AstraZeneca against COVID-19. Mexico is about to join the phase three trials (we do not know if the same study as the Oxford one), as Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard himself has said. Right now, the chancellor said in a morning conference, there are already negotiations to bring several phase three clinical trials to Mexico.
On the instructions of the President of the Republic, we are in negotiations to start phase 3 of vaccines against Covid19 for minors as soon as possible in Mexico. Soon we will give details of the progress.
– Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) March 11, 2021
Studies needed to vaccinate 100% of the population
The idea is that little by little there will be certainty about how vaccination programs will be expanded so that children under 16 are also vaccinated. Time and again it has been pointed out that clinical trials conducted so far have only covered people over the age of 16, and although there is no reason to suspect that the response would be different in children, its widespread use in minors is not recommended given that there is no evidence to support the reliability of the applications.
But taking that step requires, undoubtedly, to start anew several research processes.
In the case of the University of Oxford, the trial will consider 300 children in total, of which 240 will receive the COVID-19 vaccine, and the rest would receive a meningitis vaccine. According to the Chancellor, in Mexico there will be one “or several” phases three that have the purpose of studying the effects of vaccination in minors. “We have already started those negotiations and here we will make them known, but Mexico will be one of the participating countries“ the chancellor said.
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Right now the national vaccination plan understand making applications 93 million people by March 2022. The intention with that number, the document specifies, is to reach herd immunity. The good news is that the 93 million is equivalent to 70% of the population (percentage necessary for herd immunity according to the plan) and, simultaneously, it is the total of the Mexican population over 16 years of age.
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