Oxford University Started a Coronavirus Vaccine Trial for Children Ages 6 to 17
In a key step toward ending the coronavirus pandemic, kids as young as 6 years old will be tested with the COVID-19 vaccine. The University of Oxford has launched a new study to assess the safety of its vaccine with AstraZeneca in children for the first time.
In a new statement, the university says the trial will assess immune response in kids ages 6 to 17, an age group hit hard by school closures due to the pandemic. Around 300 volunteers are enrolled, expected to get their first inoculations this month.
In the single-blind, randomized study, up to 240 participants will receive the COVID vaccine, while the control group will receive a meningitis vaccine, which is safe for children and produces a similar reaction.
“While most children are relatively unaffected by coronavirus and are unlikely to become unwell with the infection, it is important to establish the safety and immune response to the vaccine in children and young people as some children may benefit from vaccination,” said Andrew Pollard, the trials’ chief investigator. “These new trials will extend our understanding of the control of SARS-CoV2 to younger age groups.”
