Because British experts do not (at the moment) recommend vaccines for 12-15 year olds – Corriere.it

British Medical Scientific Committee expertsJoint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization – JCVIAn independent helps Boris Johnson’s government with its Covid vaccination campaign, after long discussions They have not recommended the introduction of Covid vaccines for all children between the ages of 12 and 15But they still left open the possibility That the government solicit other scientific opinions on the matter, emphasizing that it is not within the scientific committee’s prerogative to study the larger social benefits that can be obtained by extending vaccination to even the smallest (for example, not having to close schools and constantly turning to my father) .

the decision

The decision is not final and politics will have the last word. Moreover, even depending on how the pandemic moves, recommendations can change. This is not a rejection The British CTS did not consider the vaccine to be beneficial for that age group. After all, the UK seems to have adopted a policy of letting the virus spread at least where it does no harm (even more among children, marginally affected by severe symptoms) and even at the third dose decides to proceed only with the weak. The opinion of the technical committee arrived a week after the announcement by the Ministry of Health and Social Assistance (DHSC) that instead confirmed preparations to ensure the health system was ready to vaccinate all 12-15-year-olds.

motives

Even Germany chose in June not to vaccinate boys, and only did so Behind the front in August Recommend immunization even in that age group. According to CTS experts, while the health benefits of vaccination in all age groups are considered to outweigh the risks, The profit margin is very limited To support universal vaccination at this time for healthy people aged 12 to 15 years. The technicians are taking a precautionary approach and writing again: For healthy children aged 12 to 15, the risk of severe Covid-19 disease is low, so the potential benefit from vaccination is also low. The health benefits of vaccination are marginally greater than the potential harms. The experts also took into account the associated marginal risks Very rare side effects
of cases of inflammation of the heart (Myocarditis and pericarditis) present in the administration of the Pfizer vaccine.

fragile boys

Instead, vaccinations will be guaranteed to those under 16 and over the age of 12 to approximately 200,000 children and children residing in the Kingdom who are classified as Exhibition And at greater risk of infection from Covid. Compared with what was reported weeks ago, the category of minors eligible for vaccination was expanded to also include children with type 1 diabetes, congenital heart disease, sickle cell anemia, severe asthma, and lung or liver disease. Previously, the vaccination was offered only to children with severe neurological disabilities, Down syndrome and an immunosuppressive condition.

Overprotection of the individual

It seems to me that the British scientific committee is moving forward with overprotection, as Fabrizio Brigliasco, virologist and director general of the Galeazzi Institute in Milan reflects. It is true that there have been very rare cases of myocarditis, we are talking about 4 out of 100,000 cases and they all resolved with cortisone therapy and a maximum of two days in the hospital, but it is also true that children can develop MIS-C, the multisystem inflammatory syndrome that affects two children out of every 100,000 children and has an important impact on children’s health. Also there is a file The general interest of the population With the vaccination of the youngest: By vaccinating children who have many social contacts at school, vulnerable parents or grandparents are also protected. We must always be vigilant, but in my opinion, the overall safety and efficacy data lead us to say that regular vaccination is also essential in young people.