An ‘end in sight’ by spring?
The separate panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the use of vaccines, recommended Tuesday that healthcare workers and nursing home residents be the first in line for the vaccine, followed by other vulnerable populations.
(A Michigan plan lists those vulnerable populations as including people with underlying medical conditions, the elderly, those from racial and ethnic minority groups and tribal communities, people in correctional facilities, the homeless, those attending colleges and universities, those in rural communities, with disabilities, or those who are under- or uninsured.)
If Pfizer and Moderna’s vaccines are quickly approved — followed possibly by AstraZeneca’s or another — vaccines for other populations may arrive as soon as “late winter into the spring,” Monto said.
Children likely will be among the last in line
Even if the vaccines are approved, don’t expect them for everyone any time soon. Studies to date have excluded young children, as it’s unclear whether they might react differently to a vaccine than adults, he said.
In fact, in rare cases, children infected with COVID-19 have uniquely developed Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, or MIS-C, which can lead to organ failure. Most cases of MIS-C have been reported before the age of 14, according to the most recent data by the CDC.
“I would predict that, as we go forward, we may well slowly use the vaccines in older children,” Monto said.
Mild side effects, so far
“There are mild, acceptable side effects to these vaccines,” Monto said, mostly aching and fever, but studies will continue as the vaccine is distributed.
“There is no indication that we're going to have any surprises, but obviously, you don't know what's going to happen … Safety monitoring is going to continue,” he said.
Additionally, he said, “this is the first generation of (COVID) vaccines, we may have improved vaccines come up later on.”
Double doses
Both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines as well as others in development will require double doses about a month apart. That will complicate the already-complex logistics in getting the shots to the public, but ensures the highest effectiveness, he said.
While studies of the Pfizer vaccine suggest a person “may get protection earlier, before you get the second dose,” he said, “you're not as fully protected until you get the second dose.”
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