mRNA Covid Shots Safe And Effective In Children Ages 5-11, Large Study Finds—Though Vaccine Uptake Remains Low

Topline mRNA Covid vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna shots, are effective at preventing infection and severe illness and have low rates of serious side effects in young

children, according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics on Tuesday, firmly underscoring the benefits of vaccination as uptake of the shots remains poor. Key Facts mRNA

Covid-19 vaccines were effective at preventing symptomatic or asymptomatic coronavirus infections in children aged 5 to 11 years, according to a review and analysis of 17

published studies which covered more than 10 million vaccinated children and more than 2.6 million unvaccinated children. The research, which covered omicron and delta

variants, also showed the vaccines helped prevent severe illness from Covid-19 and cut the risk of hospitalization. Vaccination also helped lower the odds of multisystem

inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a rare but dangerous, possibly lethal complication associated with Covid infections in kids. While most children will experience

at least one side effect after getting vaccinated, these were usually mild and resolved within several days, the researchers said. They added serious side effects were rare,

including myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle. The potentially serious condition occurred in only 1.8 per million vaccinated after the second injection, the

researchers said.