What can be done
What can be done, then, to reduce the household spread of COVID-19? “The obvious solution to protect a household with a sick young infant or toddler is to make sure that all eligible members of the household are vaccinated,” Dr. Coffin and Dr. Rubin stated in their commentary.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently wrote to Janet Woodcock, MD, acting commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, asking for the agency to authorize use of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines for children under age 12 “as soon as possible,” noting that “the Delta variant has created a new and pressing risk to children and adolescents across this country, as it has also done for unvaccinated adults.”
The FDA reportedly asked vaccine makers Pfizer and Moderna to expand the clinical trials of children, which may delay authorization for younger age groups. Pfizer has said it plans to submit a request for emergency use authorization of its vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds in September or October.
As with adult vaccination, hesitancy is likely to be a barrier. Less than half of parents said they are very or somewhat likely to have their children get a COVID-19 vaccine, according to a national survey conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles.
The Ontario study provides valuable evidence to support taking steps to protect children from transmission in schools, including mask requirements, frequent testing, and improved ventilation, said Dr. Scarpino.
“We’re not going to be able to control COVID without vaccinating younger individuals,” he said.
Dr. Pavia has consulted for GlaxoSmithKline on non–COVID-19–related issues. Sarah Buchan, PhD, study author and scientist at Public Health Ontario, reported grants from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for research on influenza, RSV, and COVID-19, and grants from the Canadian Immunity Task Force for COVID-19 outside the submitted work. Dr. Coffin reported grants as a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention coinvestigator at a Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Unit site conducting COVID-19 vaccine trials in children. Dr. Scarpino holds unexercised options in ILiAD Biotechnologies, which is focused on the prevention and treatment of pertussis. Dr. Schaffner is a consultant for VBI Vaccines.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.