The High Authority for Health is giving this Monday, December 20, 2021 the green light for the vaccination of children from 5 to 11 years old, without co-morbidities. In a press release, the health authority, however, does not say that it is in favor of compulsory vaccination of children and does not wish that “this is a condition for obtaining a health pass“. “This vaccination can be carried out as soon as the pediatric formulation of the vaccine is made available.“developed by Pfizer.
For now, vaccination against the coronavirus is open to children at risk of developing a severe form, that is to say those who suffer from comorbidities. The government has said several times in favor of extending this vaccination to all children who wish, but the executive was awaiting the opinion of the High Authority of Health and the Steering Committee for the vaccination strategy.
HAS fears an “increase in cases of severe forms in children”
The High Health Authority therefore announced this Monday that it is in favor of the vaccination of all children. For the health authority, if “severe forms of Covid-19 rarely affect children“, when “this is the case, nearly 80% of them are found in children without comorbidities“. She also justifies her choice by”the arrival of the Omicron variant, more contagious than the Delta variant“. In this context, “an increase in cases of severe forms can be expected in children“, fears the health authority. The High Health Authority specifies that to give its opinion, it has”in particular taken into account the analysis of clinical studies provided by the Pfizer laboratory, international pharmacovigilance data available to date, mathematical models on the impact of childhood vaccination on the epidemic, the positions of the various stakeholders interviewed (associations of users and parents of students, health professionals, National Education …) as well as the opinion of the National Consultative Ethics Committee“.
The HAS is reassuring about the vaccine developed specifically for children by the Pfizer laboratory, this one “exhibits very good efficacy against the major variants currently circulating and its ability to prevent severe forms is excellent“. She believes that”the benefit / risk ratio of immunizing healthy children on an individual basis is favorable, in particular in the current context of increasing incidence of the disease in France“. On December 11, the incidence rate among 6-10 year olds stood at 1,080 cases per 100,000 inhabitants, according to Covid Tracker.
The vaccination methods offered by the HAS
In its press release, the High Authority for Health specifies the vaccination methods for which it is favorable. She hopes that this will be done within the framework of a “shared medical decision, without making it exigible or compulsory“. If a child has already had Covid-19, he will only have one injection to make, for the others, the two doses should be 21 days apart.
The president of the French pediatric society does not seem to be convinced by the opinion delivered by the Haute Autorité de santé. Asked on franceinfo, this Monday, Christelle Gras-Le Guen believes that the vaccination of 5-11 year olds “will not solve the issue of virus circulation“. She calls for”perfectly informed, transparent information“so that parents can”decide correctly about their children and families“.
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