Short-Term Side Effects and SARS-CoV-2 Infection after COVID-19 Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine in Children Aged 5-11 Years: An Italian Real-World Study.
Vaccines (Basel)
; 10(7)2022 Jun 30.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1928691
ABSTRACT
Vaccination against COVID-19 is the most effective tool to protect both the individual and the community from this potentially life-threatening infectious disease. Data from phase-3 trials showed that two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine were safe, immunogenic, and effective against COVID-19 in children aged 5-11 years. However, no surveys in real-life settings have been carried out in this age range. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional study to evaluate the short-term adverse reactions (ARs) and the rate of protection against infection of the BNT162b2 vaccine in children aged 5-11 years by the compilation of two surveillance questionnaires conceived using Google Forms. Five-hundred and ninety one children were included in the analysis. ARs were reported by 68.9% of the children, being mainly local. The incidence of systemic ARs, especially fever, was higher after the second dose. The incidence of infection after completing the immunization accounted for 13.6% of the children. COVID-19 symptoms reported were mild, with the exception of one case of pneumonia. Only 40% of infected participants needed to take medication to relieve symptoms, mostly paracetamol and NSAIDs, and none reported persistent symptoms. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children aged 5-11 years is safe and well tolerated. The mild clinical course of COVID-19 in immunized children confirmed the favorable risk-benefit ratio, encouraging parents to immunize their children.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Randomized controlled trials
Topics:
Long Covid
/
Vaccines
Language:
English
Year:
2022
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Vaccines10071056
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