Vaccines for children needed to reach herd immunity

NO REPRO FEE 22/07/2021 Pictured today (l to r) Dr Colm Henry, CCO, HSE and Damien McCallion, HSE National Lead, Vaccination Programme at Dr Steevens’ Hospital for the weekly HSE operational update on the response to Covid-19. Photograph: Leah Farrell / Photocall Ireland

Children will need to be vaccinated in order to reach herd immunity as a result of the increased transmissibility of the Delta variant, health officials have said.

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac) is currently examining evidence on vaccination of teenagers and is expected to make recommendations to the Chief Medical Officer shortly.

Dr Colm Henry, chief clinical officer at the HSE, said achieving herd immunity is now “the challenge across the world”.

“What we thought initially, was a much cruder estimate a year ago based on the type of covid we were dealing with last year was 60-70% of the population [to develop immunity],” Dr Henry said.

“But because we’re dealing with a much more transmissible variant, to reach that concept of herd immunity... the estimate has gone up certainly to 85-90% so yes, by extension, it would include extending to children too.” 

Dr Henry said herd immunity is the “preferred goal”, however, he added that it was necessary to balance the risk of the vaccine with the risk of the virus for children, for whom the risk of severe incidence is low.

“I don’t expect Niac to come out with emphatic recommendations. Certainly, they’re looking at teenagers, 12 to 16-year-olds, but younger age groups, I expect, is going to be much more complicated,” he added.

Damien McCallion, HSE national director for the vaccination programme, said his team is currently working on plans around the possible vaccination of teenagers should Niac give approval, however, he added parental consent would be important.

Virus is 'thriving'

Meanwhile, the number of Covid cases being reported each day has increased significantly in recent weeks.

Paul Reid, chief executive of the HSE, said the spread of the virus is now “thriving” in young people, largely due to the vaccination programme.

The 5-day average is up 95% compared to last week, while the 7-day average is up 93% week on week.

In the past 14 days, 75% of cases have been in those aged under 34, and 32% under the age of 13.

Testing sites in Dublin, Donegal, Louth, Galway and Meath are particularly busy and additional capacity has been put in place.

Mr Reid also advised young people to be mindful about when their vaccination takes full effect, adding that it is not immediate.

"We have seen instances of people getting vaccinated, travelling away very quickly and coming back with Covid,” he added.

Meanwhile, Dr Henry said that some of the Covid-19 deaths and admissions to intensive care were fully vaccinated people.

Of the 70 Covid-related deaths between May 14 and July 13 where vaccination status was known, just 12 were fully vaccinated people and only two had been vaccinated for more than 14 days, when there is full protection.

They were also all over 65 years old.

Seventeen deaths happened in people partially vaccinated, 76% of whom were over 65.

Separately, six patients fully vaccinated against Covid-19 were admitted to intensive care between March 25 and July 11.

The average age of a patient in ICU is now 52 years old, he added.