Vana Papaevangelou: Children are vulnerable to the Delta mutation

The new chapter of the "Freedom" campaign will be implemented from tomorrow for the voluntary vaccination of adolescents aged 15-17, after the necessary consent of the parents.

The professor of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, member of the Committee of Experts and the National Vaccination Committee, Vana Papaevangelou, analyzes in an interview with "NEA" newspaper all the latest data and the catalytic role of the Delta mutation that led to this decision.

Are Vaccines Safe for Teenagers? Cases of myocarditis and pericarditis are of concern to some parents. What do you advise them?

Today we can answer this question with more certainty. A few weeks ago, the FDA and EMA then approved the vaccination of adolescents aged 12-17 years based on a clinical study (Frenck RW et al. NEJM 2021) involving approximately 2,500 adolescents. At that time, the National Vaccination Committee (NSC) reserved the right to suggest the start of vaccination of adolescents in our country in order to have more data from the application of vaccinations in clinical practice. Today, 6 million adolescents have been vaccinated in the United States alone, and many other countries have begun vaccinating adolescents, such as Canada, Israel, and Germany. It is becoming clear that the EU, responding to the new challenges of the pandemic, always suggests that the main focus is on the safety of the population, carefully reviewing the epidemiological data and the substantiated scientific knowledge.

On June 23, the U.S. Vaccination Committee (ACIP) reviewed all safety data from Pfizer vaccine in adolescents 12-15 years of age (6 million doses) and compared it with data from adverse reactions in young adults 16-25 years of age. (total 21.6 million installments). Both local (edema,...

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