• COVID-19
• paediatrics
• infectious disease medicine

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have approved COVID-19 vaccines (under emergency use authorisation) for young people aged 12 and above, but the world seems divided regarding national approval for use in children aged 12–15 years old.

The USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and several European countries are offering vaccination to all young people in this age group, while in the UK the first dose of the vaccine is available for all children aged 12–17 years old, but subsequent doses only for those with increased risk of severe COVID-19 aged 12–15 years. This variation between countries in vaccination policy was also observed, for example, with meningococcal vaccination, and epidemiological and cultural differences between countries likely play a role.

The long-term effect of COVID-19 infection in children is still unknown, which makes balancing the benefits and risks of vaccination accurately very difficult. Many studies on COVID-19 are being published weekly, and often information is made available in preprints prior to peer review. While prompt sharing of information widely to educate scientists and physicians quickly in an evolving pandemic is desirable to allow prompt implementation of therapy, it also means the rigorous peer review that allows detection of methodological flaws of studies only takes place later. Several initially influential papers have been retracted. Interpreting the enormous amount of manuscripts and judging their quality are challenging, and understandably even more so for the wider public. While information is shared quickly on social media, disproving false information takes much more effort. Additionally, the insatiable hunger for information reduces capacity for much-needed reflection.

Pressure is put on paediatricians to push for vaccination for all. Both population and individual risk to benefit ratios are important considerations for …