The University of Oxford plans to test its COVID-19 vaccine in children for the first time, becoming the latest vaccine developer to test whether its coronavirus vaccine is effective in young people.
The trial announced Saturday seeks to recruit 300 volunteers between the ages of 6 and 17, with up to 240 receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and the remainder a meningitis control vaccine.
Andrew Pollard, lead investigator for the Oxford vaccine trial, says that while most children do not become seriously ill from COVID-19, “it is important to establish the safety and immune response to the vaccine in children and young people as that some children may benefit from vaccination. “
Regulators in more than 50 countries have authorized the widespread use of the Oxford vaccine, which is being produced and distributed by AstraZeneca, for use in people over 18 years of age.
Other drug companies are also testing COVID-19 vaccines in children. Pfizer, whose vaccine has already been licensed for use in people 16 and older, began testing its injection in children as young as 12 in October. Moderna in December began testing her vaccine in children as young as 12.
Pollard said the Oxford trial should help lawmakers decide whether at some point in the future they want to extend mass vaccination programs to children as they seek to ensure that schools are safe and combat the spread of the virus in the general population. .
“For most children, for themselves, COVID is not really a big problem,” Pollard told The Associated Press.
“However, it is certainly possible that in the future it will be considered a broader use to try to slow the progress of the pandemic, so here we are only trying to establish the data that would support that if policy makers wanted to go into that. address . “
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