Doc Behind Duke Trial Knows Convincing Parents That Vaccine is Safe is Next Big Test

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to grant emergency use authorization for the Pfizer version of the COVID-19 vaccine to be giving to children ages 12 to 15. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are already approved for those 16 and up. The CDC would follow in the footsteps of the Food and Drug Administration, and that means parents could be considering whether to get their kids the shot as soon as Thursday.

Dr. Michael Smith, a professor of pediatrics in the Duke University School of Medicine, said, "Anything that we can do to reduce disease incidence and disease transmission in kids and get society back open to the way it was pre-pandemic, I think is useful."

Smith, head of Duke Children’s Health Center Infectious Diseases Clinic, helped conduct the clinical trial that led to the approval. Nearly 2,300 youths participated in the trials; half received the vaccine. Smith said side-effects were minor, including fever and pain and swelling at the injection site, and the efficacy rate in those who received the vaccine was 100 percent.

"Even if the vaccine does not prevent you from getting Covid, it’s very, very effective at reducing severe disease and reducing hospitalization," Smith said.

With the research done, Smith said, the hard work of convincing parents that the vaccine is safe begins.

"I do think we need as a medical community, a pediatric community, we need to get out there and respond to parents who have specific questions about vaccine safety," he said. "For me personally, I have no doubts about that."

Duke has moved on to another trial, this for vaccine use in children as young as 6 months old.

"What we’re doing right now is a smaller trial in children less than 12 to make sure we find that right dose. Once we have the right dose, we will be working on the next Pfizer trial including kids down to six months," Smith said.

https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/doc-behind-duke-trial-knows-convincing-parents-that-vaccine-is-safe-is-next-big-test/19673034/

REMINDER

COVID-19 SURVIVAL RATES (per CDC):

Ages 0-19: 99.997%

Ages 20-49: 99.98%

Ages 50-69: 99.5%

Ages 70+: 94.6%

>https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2020/09/28/new-cdc-coronavirus-survival-rates-torches-the-democrats-lockdown-regime-n2576983