COVID Vaccine Trials For Children

Dr. Yiannis Update | Positive news at last

I hope this latest update finds you and your loved ones well.

Our practice is here to support you as usual.

I wish you all the very best,

Dr Yiannis

Positive news at last

Vaccine trials start up for children

Knowing how to deal with minor injuries in children

Before you go...

Positive news at last.

I am very happy to be able to write to you this month after it has been announced that the schools are to open on March 8th and children can return to doing all the outdoor activities that they love.

It’s certainly welcome news in our house with my children really looking forward to getting back to school life and reuniting with all of their friends.

Many parents have contacted me to ask if it is safe to do so. The advice and consensus from expert paediatric health bodies remains overwhelmingly, yes. Unless a parent or child has received specific medical advice otherwise, the benefit far outweighs the risks. The advice from my previous newsletter on this subject is still current.

And there is more positive news concerning children and COVID-19 vaccines.

Vaccine trials start up for children.

The vaccine roll-out for adults continues to go from strength to strength, with over 18 million people as I write this, having already had their first dose. There’s progress on the vaccination front for children too with the first vaccine trials for children beginning in the UK and abroad.

Trials are underway to assess the effectiveness of vaccines in children and young adults aged 6-17 years by Oxford University. Pfizer have also started testing the 12-15 year old age group, with plans to enrol children aged 5 to 11 years later this year.

While children are not a priority for the vaccine because they have been the least and most mildly affected by COVID-19, it’s reassuring to know that a vaccine for children could be on its way.

There have been recent reports that the Paediatric Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (PIMS) related to COVID-19 as mentioned in previous newsletters and on my COVID-19 FAQ page, was on the increase. Numbers of children affected remain very small despite these reports.

There is a brief and useful summary from a colleague from St Mary’s Hospital, Dr Liz Whittaker, Consultant in Paediatric Infectious Disease and Infectious Disease Lead for the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, linked at the end of this page with more information.

Knowing how to deal with minor injuries

Now that children are going back to school and enjoying the great outdoors again, it seemed an ideal time to review some of the more common minor injuries that occur in children, and how to deal with them.

Bumps and bruises are all part of growing up for a curious, active child. Knowing the difference between a serious injury and one you can treat yourself at home will help parents feel better prepared when accidents do happen.

I am really pleased to have welcomed Dr Charles Stewart, into the Practice. As a Paediatric Emergency Consultant, he brings great expertise in this area. I have consulted Charles on several occasions when my own children have had minor injuries.

Take a look at our new How to deal with minor injuries in children page including information covering topics including lacerations, strains and sprains, pulled elbow, foreign bodies in the ear, nose or throat, minor head injury, concussion, sports and related injuries. Thank you Dr Stewart for providing this content, I hope you find it useful.

Before you go…

Our virtual First aid training classes are continuing with new sessions added. Please pass on the details to other parents, NCT groups, grandparents and all carers. Larger group discounts are available. You can book onto a class by emailing firstaidtraining@childhealthy.co.uk.

Do you have a question or topic that you would like addressed/covered through this newsletter? Please email ask@doctoryiannis.com and I will aim to include this in the next update.

That’s all for now. As always, we are all here and available to support you with your child’s health. I hope you find the further resources below useful.

Further resources:

BBC News report – How many people in the UK have been vaccinated so far?

Gov.uk latest vaccination figures 

NIHR – First Children’s COVID-19 vaccine trial open

Pfizer fully enrolls pediatric COVID-19 vaccine trial with more than 2K kids

RCPCH report paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome (PIMS)