FDA Connects Child Fatalities to COVID-19 Vaccines
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is preparing to share findings that connect COVID-19 vaccinations with fatalities in young children. Based on various media reports, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has convened a meeting to assess and approve several vaccines, which include the soon-to-be introduced Covid vaccines for this fall season.
These claims from the FDA are rooted in the data gathered from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). VAERS, a public database, is overseen collaboratively by both the FDA and the CDC. Release of these reports coincides with the FDA’s ongoing probe into reports of previously healthy children passing away after receiving their Covid vaccinations.
An official from the FDA mentioned that there is an ongoing analysis of self-reported data in the VAERS database, revealing cases of children dying post-Covid vaccination. There is a commitment to present a comprehensive report on this matter in the upcoming weeks. He emphasized, ‘Currently, we’re diving deep into a high-level investigation.’
International vaccine guidelines vary widely. For instance, in France, COVID-19 vaccination is suggested only for those aged 80 and above, as well as those deemed high-risk. The United Kingdom also follows a similar approach, recommending the vaccine for high-risk individuals and those who are 75 years of age or older.
On the home front, the Department for Health and Human Services reassured that any forthcoming recommendations regarding the COVID-19 vaccine would have the backing of irrefutable scientific evidence, often referred to as the ‘gold standard.’
The spokesperson for the department elaborated, ‘The personnel from FDA and CDC regularly review and analyze data from VAERS, along with other safety monitoring sources. The results of these reviews are made public via the existing ACIP process.’ He assured that the proposed updates regarding COVID-19 vaccination will be rooted in top-tier scientific research and will be discussed openly at the ACIP in the following week.
There is a stark contrast between the resistance faced by many adults who objected to getting vaccinated, often risking their jobs, and the push to get perfectly healthy children vaccinated. This move to mandate vaccination in children sparked a debate globally.
Several nations, like the United Kingdom, acknowledged the potential risks and proceeded to prohibit children five years and younger from receiving the jab, due to the possible harmful side effects.
Nonetheless, it was not until May of the current year that the U.S. mirrored this preventative approach. The Secretary of Health and Human Services put an end to the standard COVID vaccination recommendations for healthy children and teenagers, as well as expecting mothers.
This decision paved the way for adopting a more cautious stance towards rolling out COVID vaccinations to otherwise healthy populations that may not necessarily be at high risk.