What is it about?

Argentina was one of the few countries that initiated COVID-19 vaccination for 12-year-old adolescents and older in August 2021 and children aged three years and older in October 2021. The research is the first to explore the impact of vaccination on child and adolescent mortality at the national level for the entire 2020-2022 period. In the study period, children from 6 months to 2 years old were vaccinated with a two-dose regimen starting July 2022. The researchers analyzed the gradual introduction of vaccination in age cohorts of children and adolescents to examine how COVID-19 immunization impacted mortality trends in children and adolescents using information on their vaccination status.

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Why is it important?

The article “The Impact of COVID-19 Childhood and Adolescent Vaccination on Mortality in Argentina” DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.06.005” finds that COVID-19 mortality declined in 2022 for age groups with high vaccine uptake (3-11- and 12–17-year-olds). However, COVID-19 mortality did not decline in 2022 for the 0-2-year-old age group, which had low vaccine uptake. Overall, cumulative 2022 COVID-19 death rates showed a 16-18-fold reduction in the vaccinated population with at least two doses compared to the unvaccinated population. Argentina was one of the few countries that initiated COVID-19 vaccination for 12-year-old adolescents and older in August 2021 and children aged three years and older in October 2021. The research is the first to explore the impact of vaccination on child and adolescent mortality at the national level for the entire 2020-2022 period. In the study period, children from 6 months to 2 years old were vaccinated with a two-dose regimen starting July 2022. The researchers analyzed the gradual introduction of vaccination in age cohorts of children and adolescents to examine how COVID-19 immunization impacted mortality trends in children and adolescents using information on their vaccination status.

Perspectives

This study advances understanding of how COVID-19 vaccination protects children and adolescents in Argentina, a nation that stands out for having initiated vaccination earlier than many other countries for these age groups. Our findings show that SARS-CoV-2 immunization was associated with reduced COVID-19 deaths for children and adolescents in Argentina.

Dr Lorena G Barberia
Universidade de Sao Paulo Campus da Capital

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: The impact of COVID-19 childhood and adolescent vaccination on mortality in Argentina, Vaccine, June 2024, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.06.005.
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