The Department of Health of the Generalitat extended vaccination to those under 30 years of age on Wednesday, suddenly and without age limits. Thus, all Catalans who are 16 years old or older already have access to immunization at a time of worrying growth in infections.
This opening to the entire population over 16 years of age occurs, in part, as a consequence of the increase in infections among young people. As of Wednesday, the cumulative incidence in the group between 20 and 29 years old is 251 and in the group between 12 and 19 it is 243.4 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Meanwhile, the general cumulative incidence is 117 cases.
What vaccines will young people receive?
Currently, there are only two vaccines authorized for the population of these age groups: Pfizer, which can be administered from the age of 12; and Moderna, which can be given from the age of 18. Meanwhile, Janssen is only administered to people over 40 years of age and AstraZeneca is only injected in people over 60 years of age.
Pfizer is 100% effective in adolescents
Pfizer’s vaccine for young people between 12 and 16 years old was the first to be approved for this age group. In addition, according to studies carried out by the pharmaceutical company, its solution is 100% effective.
The trial demonstrated “100% efficacy and robust antibody responses, greater than previously reported with participants ages 16 to 25, and was well tolerated,” according to a BioNTech statement. The trial was carried out with adolescents in the United States between the ages of 12 and 15, and 18 cases of covid 19 were detected in the placebo group compared to none in the vaccinated group.
This shows “a strong immunogenicity in a subgroup of adolescents one month after the second dose,” according to the statement from both pharmaceutical companies, which indicates that the side effects observed were similar to those detected with the trial in the group between 16 and 25 years.
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