Children's and Emory University Pediatric Expert Urges Start of COVID Vaccine Trials in Kids


ATLANTA (Sept. 21, 2020)–Delays in starting COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials in children will prolong overall recovery from the global pandemic, according to a new paper published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

In addition to direct medical benefits of immune protection, availability of a COVID-19 vaccine for children could facilitate return to school and other activities—critical for their well-being, the authors say.

The role of children in transmitting COVID-19 has been underappreciated, and the number of deaths among children due to COVID-19 is edging close to the average number of influenza-related deaths among children during recent flu seasons, the authors point out.

“Given the potential direct and indirect benefits of pediatric vaccination, implementation of Phase II clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines should begin now,” the paper states.

The lead author on the paper is Evan Anderson, MD, a Pediatric Infectious Diseases Specialist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Anderson is also a Principal Investigator at Emory University for the Moderna-National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases trial of the investigational vaccine mRNA-1273.

Co-authors on the Clinical Infectious Diseases paper include pediatricians from University of Maryland, Vanderbilt University, Cincinatti Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine and Stony Brook University.

Read more here.

For more information:

Julie Kuchta

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta

404-785-3823

julie.kuchta@choa.org

About Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

As the only freestanding pediatric healthcare system in Georgia, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is the trusted leader in caring for kids. The not-for-profit organization’s mission is to make kids better today and healthier tomorrow through more than 60 pediatric specialties and programs, top healthcare professionals, and leading research and technology. Children’s is one of the largest pediatric clinical care providers in the country, managing more than one million patient visits annually at three hospitals, Marcus Autism Center, the Center for Advanced Pediatrics, urgent care centers and neighborhood locations. Consistently ranked among the top children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has impacted the lives of kids in Georgia, across the United States and around the world for more than 100 years thanks to generous support from the community.

About Emory University School of Medicine

About Emory University School of Medicine
Emory University School of Medicine is a leading institution with the highest standards in education, biomedical research and patient care, with a commitment to recruiting and developing a diverse group of students and innovative leaders. Emory School of Medicine has more than 3,400 full- and part-time faculty, 592 medical students, 497 allied health students in five programs, 1,388 residents and fellows in 115 accredited programs, and 92 MD/PhD students. Medical school faculty received $588.4 million in external research funding in fiscal year 2022. The school is best known for its research and treatment in infectious disease, brain health, heart disease, cancer, transplantation, orthopaedics, pediatrics, renal disease, ophthalmology and geriatrics.

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