Providing children with COVID-19 vaccinations is challenging due to lack of data and wide-ranging parental acceptance

Aim Vaccines are vital to ending the COVID-19 pandemic and we reviewed the data on vaccinating children, and including them in clinical trials, as most of the activity has focused on adults. Methods English and Chinese databases, including PubMed, Elsevier Scopus, Web of Science, CNKI and CQVIP were searched, along with websites such as the World Health Organization and the University of Oxford. Results We identified 44 papers and 16 news items about vaccinating children against the virus, published from 10 February 2020 to 14 July 2021. Child vaccination has been slow and only a few countries have included children in Phase II or III clinical trials. The data on children were much more limited than on adults, but most children were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms and some deaths had been recorded. More clinical trials are needed to assess the safety and efficacy of vaccinating children, as higher vaccination levels can help to build up herd immunity. The percentage of parents willing to vaccinate their children against the virus ranged from 48.2% to 72.6%, with much lower rates for letting them participate in clinical trials. Conclusion Vaccines should be offered to children as soon as their safety and efficacy are established.

Automated summary

Vaccines are crucial in ending the COVID-19 pandemic. However, progress in vaccinating children has been slow, with only a few countries conducting clinical trials involving children. More trials are needed to assess the safety and efficacy of vaccinating children, in order to achieve higher vaccination levels and build up herd immunity.