cbaker_admin
Mon, 03/29/2021 – 20:30
Minors must be included in the mass COVID-19 vaccination effort if herd immunity is to become a reality, researchers and infectious disease experts agree. Individuals aged 18 years and younger comprise 22% of all Americans, but 70%–85% of the population must be immunized in order to achieve broad community protection against the virus. Pfizer’s vaccine is indicated for anyone aged 16 years or older, while Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and the AstraZeneca vaccine approved overseas are all authorized for anyone aged 18 years and older. Testing is still ongoing, however, in children and teenagers younger than that, suggesting that the goal of herd immunity is not immediately within reach. Health experts expect that vaccines for the youngest children probably will not be ready until early next year, in part because researchers will need to investigate lower doses.
