COVID-19 herd immunity by immunisation: are children in the herd?
… the most affected subgroups in the population have largely been older people and individuals with comorbid conditions that predispose them to increasingly severe disease and poor outcomes
… in children has been reasonably mild, even in those with comorbidities, such as oncological conditions
… only 7% of children younger than 18 years with severe disease required intensive care
… children of Asian or White race or ethnicity appear to be less often affected
… the absence of epidemiological data that incriminates children in the transmission
… do not have a safety or immunogenicity profile in children
… vaccinating children cannot be justified if it is to give direct protection despite minimal burden of disease
… from an ethical perspective … will offer minimal or no direct benefit to the recipient
… no benefit to the public, and as yet, unknown medium-term and long-term risks to the recipient
