mRNA COVID-19 vaccines reduce virus risk in children, serious side effects are rare

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2023-01-24 03:10

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Children aged 5-11 who have received two doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine are less likely to be infected with COVID-19 and less likely to have severe illness, according to an international systematic review and meta-analysis. The researchers combined the results of 17 studies involving nearly 11 million vaccinated children and about 2.5 million unvaccinated children, and found vaccinated children were less likely to have any COVID-19 infection, develop symptoms, require hospitalisation or develop multisystem inflammatory syndrome. About one in 11 children had a reaction to the vaccine that disrupted their regular activities, however the researchers say most were not severe and resolved quickly. They say about 1.8 children per million developed myocarditis after the second dose which is lower than the rate following the virus itself.