For those aged 12 to 17, the vaccine's protection against infection fell to 51% in late January from 66% in mid-December. "These results highlight the potential need to study alternative vaccine dosing for children and the continued importance layered protections, including mask wearing, to prevent infection and transmission," the researchers said. The vaccine was around 48% effective in keeping the younger age group out of the hospital, with 73% efficacy against hospitalisation among adolescents last month, the data showed. Dr Paul Offit, a pediatric infectious disease expert at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, questioned whether the data were robust enough to say that the vaccine's efficacy had significantly declined, particularly against severe disease. The goal of the vaccine is to protect against severe illness - to keep children out of the hospital."

Source: bd News24 March 01, 2022 06:46 UTC