Should Experimental COVID-19 Vaccines Be Offered To Children?

The U.S. CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) digital meeting held in Atlanta, Georgia, on October 30, 2020, reviewed the status and actions related to COVID-19 vaccine candidates. One area of concern discussed by the ACIP membership focused on the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine candidates for the pediatric population.

The ACIP committee’s discussion included a.) when would a COVID-19 vaccine candidate be able to present enough phase 3 study data to meet the 2-month medium efficacy data requirement, and b.) should any ‘experimental’ COVID-19 vaccine candidate be considered for a population that is minimally impacted by the current COVID-19 pandemic.

The next ACIP meeting should be able to provide clarity on these and other concerns.