Currently, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is actively circulating in France. The High Authority for Health (HAS) recommends vaccination against Covid-19 for certain children. Which ? On what criteria? With which vaccine? What data led to this recommendation?
The winter period is generally conducive to the spread of viruses. We see it particularly this year with the triple epidemic influenza, bronchiolitis and Covid-19. After having repeatedly recommended vaccination and its booster against Covid-19 for the most vulnerable people, HAS now recommends the vaccination of young children in a statement dated December 19, 2022.
With which vaccine?
Pfizer’s Comirnaty vaccine received an extension of indication from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on November 25. This is the vaccination of children from 6 months to 4 years old. Its dosage was adjusted to 3 micrograms/dose. The vaccination schedule includes three doses. The first two are separated by three weeks and the following two by eight weeks.
For information, this vaccine has already been authorized in children aged 6 months to 5 years in the United States since June 18, 2022. Moderna’s vaccine is also available there for children aged 6 months to 5 years, which is not is not the case in Europe.
For which children?
The latest data from Public Health France reveal that young children under the age of 1 represent 70% of hospitalizations for Covid-19 among 0-17 year olds. In addition, the chosen vaccine – Comirnaty from Pfizer – offers 80.3% protection against symptomatic infections for children aged 6 months to 4 years after a complete vaccination schedule.
This is why the HAS recommends the vaccination of all children from 6 months to 4 years of age at risk of developing a severe form of the disease. This concerns children with: congenital heart disease, chronic liver disease, chronic heart and respiratory disease (including severe asthma requiring ongoing treatment), neurological disease, primary or drug-induced immunodeficiency, obesity, diabetes, hematological malignancies, sickle cell disease and trisomy 21 “. With regard to rare diseases, the HAS recommends that medical specialists who monitor children offer vaccination on a case-by-case basis, assessing the benefit-risk ratio individually.
Vaccination is also recommended for children from 6 months to 4 years of age living in the entourage of an adult presenting a risk factor for a severe form of the disease, an immunocompromised adult or a non-responder to vaccination.
For information, the vaccination of children from 5 to 11 years old is possible but not mandatory since December 22, 2021 with the pediatric form of vaccin Pfizer-BioNTech. If the child has never had Covid-19, two doses three weeks apart are recommended, while if the child has had Covid-19 before, only one dose is needed.