An informed guide to the pandemic, with the latest developments and expert advice about prevention and treatment. |
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 | | The New York Times |
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Testing vaccines in teenagers |
When it comes to reaching herd immunity, vaccinated teenagers are crucial. But that doesn't mean developing a vaccine that works for teens is easy. |
While teenagers don't fall as severely ill as often as adults, they become infected at almost twice the rate of younger children. Research also suggests that they can spread the virus widely — to each other and to older family members — because they are often asymptomatic and casual about social distancing. |
So far, the vaccines authorized in the U.S. are only for adults, and enrolling teenagers in clinical trials has presented its own challenges. Adolescents can struggle to comply with the strict rules of a clinical study, which requires keeping a symptom diary and showing up to multiple appointments. And smaller studies, to minimize the potential risk to minors, can result in slower turnaround times. |
Researchers must also obtain a parent's consent or permission. Information sessions for each can be protracted and painstaking. Objection by either child or parent terminates the application. And researchers often caution young subjects to keep their participation off social media, because vaccine disinformation and online personal attacks are so widespread. |
Pfizer's trial for children ages 12 through 15 is fully enrolled, and the company expects results in the first quarter of this year, which it will then submit to the Food and Drug Administration for review. Moderna is still recruiting for its adolescent trials, with data anticipated sometime this summer. |
Sam, 12, who entered the Pfizer trial at Cincinnati Children's hospital, said he wanted to participate "because it would be helping science and beat the pandemic." |
He added, "And it was my way of saying thank you to the frontline workers who are keeping us healthy." |
It wasn't a painless decision. After his second shot, Sam had a throbbing headache, chills and a low-grade fever. His mother said she felt guilty for letting him participate, and she apologized to him. Sam was mystified by her reaction. "I'm so happy," he replied. "This means I got the real thing!" |
A deadly syndrome: About 2,060 children have also contracted a dangerous rare condition related to the coronavirus, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children, which can shut down the heart and other organs. Doctors across the country say they are seeing a striking increase in the condition with more children falling seriously ill than during the first wave of cases in the spring. |
With Donald Trump's impeachment trial over, President Biden plans to quickly push his agenda, allies say, starting with the passage of a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan before moving on to an even bigger agenda that includes infrastructure, immigration, criminal justice reform, climate change and health care. |
Tonight in Milwaukee, at 9 Eastern, he will participate in a CNN town hall in which he is expected to tout his proposal to send $1,400 checks to individuals struggling during the pandemic. On Thursday, Mr. Biden will travel to Kalamazoo, Mich., to tour a Pfizer plant and meet workers producing the company's coronavirus vaccine. |
Mr. Biden's first official trips as president are meant to focus on the coronavirus and the economy. Without the spectacle of a constitutional clash, the new president "takes center stage now in a way that the first few weeks didn't allow," said Jennifer Palmieri, who served as communications director for President Barack Obama. She said the end of the impeachment trial means that "2021 can finally start." |
What else we're following |
We are celebrating and extending holidays of any kind. For instance, we created a Valentine's Day tree by converting our artificial Christmas tree with hearts and Cupids. Next, a St. Patrick's Day tree, then an April showers and tax-filing freedom day, May Day and Derby Day. This takes time and money to make bows and decorations, but it means the family is involved in celebrating each day and month. — Linda Neely, Lookout Mountain, Tenn. |
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