ABSTRACT
Objectives: Beginning early in the pandemic, there was a worldwide effort to develop effective vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Before and after the approval and implementation of vaccines, there were concerns about their need as well as their safety and rapid development. We explored child demographic characteristics and parental concerns to identify factors associated with the decision to vaccinate. Methods: A cohort of 1035 children from Calgary was assembled in 2020 to participate in 5 visits every 6 months for survey completion and blood sampling for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Visits 1 to 2 occurred before approval of vaccines for children; Visits 3 to 5 occurred after vaccine approval for different age groups. We described vaccine concerns and utilized logistic regression to examine factors associated with the decision to vaccinate in children ≥5 years of age. Results: Children ≥12 years of age, of non-white or non-black ethnicity, and who had received previous influenza vaccines had higher odds of being vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2. Children with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection had lower odds of being vaccinated. The most common concerns in early 2021 were about vaccine safety. By summer 2022, the most common concern was a belief that vaccines were not necessary. Through the study 88% of children were vaccinated. Conclusions: Age, ethnicity, previous infections, and vaccine attitudes were associated with parental decision to vaccinate against SARS-CoV-2. For children who remained unvaccinated, parents continued to have safety concerns and questioned the necessity of the vaccine. Complacency about the need for vaccination may be more challenging to address and overcome than concerns about safety alone.
ABSTRACT
Congenital infections with SARS-CoV-2 are uncommon. We describe two confirmed congenital SARS-CoV-2 infections using descriptive, epidemiologic and standard laboratory methods and in one case, viral culture. Clinical data were obtained from health records. Nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens, cord blood and placentas when available were tested by reverse transcriptase real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Electron microscopy and histopathological examination with immunostaining for SARS-CoV-2 was conducted on the placentas. For Case 1, placenta, umbilical cord, and cord blood were cultured for SARS-CoV-2 on Vero cells. This neonate was born at 30 weeks, 2 days gestation by vaginal delivery. RT-PCR tests were positive for SARS-CoV-2 from NP swabs and cord blood; NP swab from the mother and placental tissue were positive for SARS-CoV-2. Placental tissue yielded viral plaques with typical morphology for SARS-CoV-2 at 2.8 × 102 pfu/mL confirmed by anti-spike protein immunostaining. Placental examination revealed chronic histiocytic intervillositis with trophoblast necrosis and perivillous fibrin deposition in a subchorionic distribution. Case 2 was born at 36 weeks, 4 days gestation. RT-PCR tests from the mother and infant were all positive for SARS-CoV-2, but placental pathology was normal. Case 1 may be the first described congenital case with SARS-CoV-2 cultivated directly from placental tissue.
