COVID Vaccines For Children Appear To Be A Half A Year Away, Or Longer

(CBS4) - Current coronavirus vaccines are only approved for adults, but Pfizer has now started a trial for children between the ages of 12 and 15. CBS4 Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida talked about the importance of expanding the vaccines on CBSN Denver this week, pointing out kids make up one in eight of positive COVID-tested patients.

"Children, particularly those under the age of 12, tend to get less severe illness if they do come in," he said, "but there is a concern about contagiousness."

"I think the vaccination is going to be important for all groups, especially older children."

Moderna is also moving forward with a study but it has not fully enrolled its trial group.

Hnida also pointed out the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is not yet approved for use in this country, is beginning testing for children as young as 6.

"Bottom line here is, we're not going to see results quickly for these vaccine trials," Hnida said. "It will probably be the summer at the earliest."

"I think there's going to be a little more caution in terms of emergency use authorization for these vaccines because they do involve children."

"We hope that we're going to be able to do some vaccination before the 2021 school year begins but I think that right now, it's too early to say that we're definitely going to be able to do that."