According to the researchers, 16,100 COVID-19 deaths have been reported among those up to 19 years old.

While rare, some children can become seriously ill with COVID-19. A COVID-19 vaccine might prevent your child from getting the virus. It may also prevent your child from becoming seriously ill or having to stay in the hospital due to COVID-19.

Available vaccines for children against COVID-19

The available vaccines to fight the deadly virus for children are Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. It is provided to children between six months and four years for three shots. The second vaccine is Moderna COVID-19 for children between six months and five years, given in two doses.

The last one is Novavax for people aged 12 and older, with two shots. Children given COVID-19 vaccines have side effects similar to those faced by adults, like pain, redness or swelling where the shot was given, tiredness, headache, chills, and muscle pain.

Findings from the recent study

A recent study at Murdoch Children's Research Institute showed that, despite most children having been infected and severe infection occurring, deaths were sporadic in children. It was highlighted that although COVID-19 vaccinations in children were effective at the time they were tested, the benefits were lower in the current context of high infection-derived immunity.

The review noted that many countries have still not introduced proven lifesaving vaccines, including pneumococcal, rotavirus, and human papillomavirus, into their immunisation schedules.

The team, led by researchers at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute in Australia, wanted to explore the challenges and considerations of COVID-19 vaccination, especially in low- and middle-income countries with high levels of community transmission and infection-derived immunity. The study is published in the journal BMJ Paediatrics Open Journal.

Words from the research team

John Hart from Murdoch Children's Research Institute said, "Although there was not strong evidence to support routine vaccination of all healthy children, it was a different for high-risk children, especially those with disabilities and certain underlying conditions."

"Given the very high prevalence of risk factors for severe COVID-19 in low- and middle-income countries, vaccination against COVID-19 is an important consideration in all age groups, including children," he added.

"However, decisions should be made considering the direct benefits to the individual child, not broader benefits to the household or community related to transmission, particularly as the effectiveness of the vaccines against infection is temporary," the researcher said.

Professor Fiona Russell from Murdoch Children's said, "There was also a lack of public health data in low- and middle-income countries, which underscored the importance of ensuring equitable access to safe and effective vaccines for future epidemics before exposure to infection."

"In low- and middle-income countries, most people were infected by the time vaccines became available, highlighting the profound inequity in global vaccine distribution," she added.