"Increase in Child COVID-19 Cases"... What Do You Think About Vaccines for Children Aged 5-11?

Increase in COVID-19 Cases Among Children... Health Authorities Say "No Plan for Child Vaccines Yet, but Preparing for Vaccination"
Concerns Raised About Safety for Children with Immature Immune Systems
Israel, US, and Europe Approved Pfizer Vaccine for Ages 5-11 Last Month... China Approves from Age 3

On the 3rd of last month (local time), a 6-year-old child is receiving the Pfizer vaccine at a hospital in Denver, Colorado, USA.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] As confirmed cases increase among elementary school-aged children compared to middle and high school students who are actively receiving vaccinations, calls for approval of COVID-19 vaccinations for children are emerging. While the vaccine's effectiveness has been demonstrated with an inverse relationship between vaccination rates and infection rates, some still express concerns about vaccinating children whose immune systems are immature.

Currently, confirmed cases among children are rising sharply. According to the weekly COVID-19 occurrence trends from the quarantine authorities on the 21st, the average daily incidence rate (confirmed cases per 100,000 people) for the 7-12 age group increased more than twofold from 9.4 in the fourth week of November (November 21-27) to 22.1 in the third week of December (December 12-18). For the under-6 age group, the rate rose from 6.6 to 17.3 during the same period.

In response, the quarantine authorities are considering COVID-19 vaccinations for children. Hong Jeong-ik, head of the Vaccination Management Team at the COVID-19 Vaccination Response Promotion Group, stated in an interview with TBS Radio's "Kim Eo-jun's News Factory" that "research projects have been commissioned, we are monitoring the approval status from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and we are also tracking policy trends in various countries regarding vaccinations for 5-11-year-olds."

However, it seems unlikely that vaccinations for children will be implemented within this year. In a briefing on the 7th, Hong said, "We are reviewing vaccinations for 5-11-year-olds, but the results of this review will not be available within this month," adding, "Similar to the preparation for vaccinations for 12-17-year-old adolescents, there must be expert consultations, research projects, and thorough surveys of parents' opinions."

Some expect strong opposition from the field. Some parents are expressing concerns about vaccinating children with immature immune systems. On the 9th, 67 organizations, including the National Parents' Association, held a protest in front of the Ministry of Education and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, opposing vaccinations for children and adolescents and the youth quarantine pass.

On the 22nd of last month, students are attending school at an elementary school in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The quarantine authorities emphasize the effectiveness of the vaccine. In fact, new confirmed cases have decreased among the middle school age group currently undergoing vaccinations. Hong explained, "In the middle school group (currently being vaccinated), the number of confirmed cases decreased slightly from 1,650 in the second week of this month to 1,500 in the third week, making it the only age group with a decline," adding, "It appears that the increase in vaccination rates has led to this downward trend."

According to the quarantine authorities' vaccination status for children and adolescents, as of midnight on this day, 55.3% of the 12-15 age group had received their first dose, and 32.5% had completed their second dose. The 16-17 age group, who started vaccinations earlier, showed vaccination rates of 79.1% for the first dose and 69.5% for the second dose.

Meanwhile, overseas, vaccinations for children under 11 years old are already underway. The Israeli Ministry of Health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved Pfizer vaccinations for children aged 5-11 last month. Additionally, China expanded its vaccination target to children aged 3 and above starting in October, following vaccinations for adolescents aged 12-17 in July.