The scientists agreed that it was a balanced decision. Covid vaccines are a proven way to prevent illness and infection. However, Covid vaccines are just like any other vaccine in medical history. The risk of serious Covid in children between 12 and 15 years old is very low, but there is a possibility of side effects.
After much discussion, independent vaccine advisors from the government concluded that vaccination of healthy children between 12 and 15 years old was of marginal benefit. The advisers refused to allow mass vaccination of these children because they deemed the benefit so marginal.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation expanded the eligibility for Covid vaccination to include children aged 12-15 years. The JCVI drew upon research from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in order to include children with severe, chronic, or even permanent heart, lung, and neurological conditions. Children with type I diabetes and sickle cell disease will also be eligible.
The new guidance will allow Covid jabs to be available to approximately 200,000 children between 12 and 15 years old in the UK, which is around 4 million. The JCVI provided data about the risks faced by the children to support its argument. Children aged 12-15 years old are admitted to intensive Care with Covid at a rate approximately two per million. However, the risk to those in the vulnerable category is greater than 100 per million.
While the JCVI raised concerns about the possibility of children suffering from long Covid, such as fatigue and other debilitating symptoms that can last for months, it concluded that although some children may experience persistent symptoms, this is less common than the problem in adults. It believes that the effects of these symptoms may not be as severe as those experienced by children who have not had Covid but still experience the same symptoms. The fact that vaccines aren't particularly effective in preventing transmission is another factor that has weighed against the decision to vaccinate all children between 12 and 15 years old.
However, the JCVIs recommendations are not the final word. The government followed the recommendations of the committee throughout the pandemic. It is believed that the expert group made sound judgements about delaying second doses, and when people should be called forward to immunise. The government might break with this tradition. Next week, the four chief medical officers (CMOs), of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, have been invited to convene an expert meeting on the issue of Covid vaccines for secondary school students. It is possible that they will come to a different conclusion.
CMOs won't cover the same ground that the JCVI. They will instead bring in more experts to help them make a decision that considers other factors. The benefits that vaccination may have on school closures or for Covid isolation policies will be the most important. Covid's disruption of education has been so severe that it will be a significant issue. Next weeks' deliberations will have a lot of weight.
The JCVI members have stressed that it was the committee who requested further advice. They felt that they didn't have the expertise necessary to evaluate the educational aspects. They added that the move was unprecedented.
The JCVI has many concerns about the long-term effects of a rare side effect of mRNA vaccines such as Moderna and BioNTech. Some countries have started vaccinations earlier and have more data about the side effects. However, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency MHRA reported that it observed myocarditis inflammation in the heart muscle in approximately 5.7 cases per thousand among people who had received two shots of mRNA vaccin. This is similar to the rate seen in the general population.
Although the cases are not usually serious, the JCVI is concerned about the lack of long-term follow up on vaccinated children sent home after they have recovered from side effects. This picture could take several months to become clear.
