COVID-19 Vaccines Could Go to Children First to Protect Seniors

Medical Xpress reports that the World Health Organization is debating the best way to allocate and prioritize COVID-19 vaccines when they arrive, with vaccinating older, more vulnerable people likely to be the best option. If the vaccines are less effective in older adults, more people will require inoculation, and prioritizing children is one possible approach. A COVID-19 vaccine may be less effective in seniors due to the natural decline of their immune systems. Vaccinating young people, who generally have a stronger immune response, would consequently shield older people by reducing the likelihood of their exposure to the virus. Controversy surrounding prioritized vaccinations for children is inevitable, as children cannot autonomously consent to being vaccinated. Adults, who make these decisions on their behalf, also are likely to benefit, creating a possible conflict of interest. Yet vaccination offers collective benefits to the public at large, as there is unlikely to be a single identified individual a vaccinated child will help, or whom they are in a unique position to help. Factors to consider in determining whether children should be vaccinated ahead of adults include the severity of the threat to public health; the existence of alternative treatments; and whether the response is proportional to the threat.