Trust in federal COVID-19 vaccine oversight and parents' willingness to vaccinate their children against COVID-19: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Over half of the youth population in the United States, aged 6 months to 17 years, have not received the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. Given parents' central role in vaccinating their children, we examined associations between parents' trust of the federal oversight of COVID-19 vaccine safety and their willingness to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 975 parents of minor children residing in Philadelphia who completed the online survey between September 2021 and February 2022. Trust was measured using a four-point Likert scale ranging from 'do not trust' to 'fully trust' for two variables: (1) trust in federal oversight of COVID-19 vaccine safety for children and (2) trust in federal oversight of COVID-19 vaccine safety for the general public. A multiple logistic regression evaluated associations between trust and parents' willingness to vaccinate their children, which was measured on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 'strongly disagree' to 'strongly agree.' The analysis was adjusted for race/ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender, education, insurance, and parents' vaccination status. RESULTS: Analyses included 975 parents whose children had not previously been vaccinated against COVID-19 (mean age 36.79, standard deviation 6.4; 42.1% racial/ethnic minorities; 93.2% heterosexual; and 73.7% with a college degree). Greater trust regarding federal oversight of COVID-19 vaccine safety for children [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13-2.04] and for the public (aOR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.17-2.14) were each associated with increased willingness to have their child vaccinated against COVID-19. Unvaccinated parents had decreased willingness compared to parents who had received at least one dose of the vaccine (aOR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.04-0.41). College-graduate parents exhibited increased willingness compared to those without a college degree (aOR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.52-2.81). Non-heterosexual parents showed increased willingness compared to heterosexual parents (aOR = 2.30, 95% CI: 1.20-4.76). CONCLUSIONS: Trust in federal COVID-19 vaccine oversight was associated with parental willingness to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 among parents whose children have not yet been vaccinated. Identifying and addressing causes of mistrust are crucial next steps to promote child vaccination. Intervention efforts to address trust gaps should remain a public health priority.

Social Processes and COVID-19 Vaccination of Children of Hesitant Mothers.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate relationships between pediatric COVID-19 vaccination and social processes of healthcare provider recommendations and school encouragement to provide insights into social processes that may support pediatric COVID-19 vaccination among hesitant mothers. METHODS: We analyzed survey data from a subsample (n = 509) of vaccine-hesitant mothers to child patients (ages 2 to 17) in regional clinics across Arkansas. Data were collected between September 16th and December 6th, 2022. Full information maximum likelihood multivariable logistic regression was conducted to evaluate associations with pediatric COVID-19 vaccination. RESULTS: Adjusted odds of pediatric COVID-19 vaccination were more than three times greater when a child's healthcare provider recommended vaccination compared to when they did not (aOR = 3.52; 95% CI[2.06, 6.01]). Adjusted odds of pediatric COVID-19 vaccination were 85% greater when a child's school encouraged parents to vaccinate compared to when the school did not (aOR = 1.85; 95% CI[1.13, 3.03]). CONCLUSIONS: For pediatric COVID-19 vaccination, having a personal healthcare provider is not significantly different from having no personal healthcare provider if they do not recommend the child be vaccinated. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Clinical and public health interventions should consider social processes of healthcare provider recommendations and school encouragement.

Influence of the Olfatín Project on the reduction of pain related to intranasal influenza vaccination, as part of a school influenza vaccination program.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the influence of viewing the Olfatín Project video on the assessment of school LAIV-associated pain in three and four-year-old children through the Wong Baker Faces® pain classification scale. DESIGN AND METHODS: A three-arm randomized multicenter clinical trial with a placebo control group was carried out. The main variable measured was pain, assessed through the score on the Wong Baker Faces® Pain Rating Scale. There were a total population of 4591 children three and four-year-olds (born in 2019 and 2020) and who attended the 1st and 2nd year of early childhood education. Before the school vaccination, researchers randomly assigned participant schools corresponding to each of the basic health areas to each of the three study groups: Olfatín's video viewing, a control video viewing not related to influenza and no video viewing. RESULTS: No significant differences according to sex, age or the minor's grade according to the assigned intervention were detected. 72.3% of those vaccinated assigned a 0 from the Wong Baker Faces® scale: 75.4% of those who watched Olfatín's video, 68.3% for those in Drilo's group and 72.8% for those who didn't watch any video, but without significant differences (p = 0.08). There were no significant differences either stratifying by sex. CONCLUSION: LAIV is a painless vaccine for children, which has to be taken into account by the health authorities when planning the pediatric influenza vaccination campaign. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Olfatín's cartoon video can be used by professionals to create a greater experience for children and therefore a better acceptance.

Evaluating the possible genotoxicity of nanoaluminum incorporated in human vaccines and the potential protective role of nanocurcumin: an in vivo study.

For nearly 90 years, aluminum (Al) salts have been utilized as vaccination adjuvants. Nevertheless, there is a risk of adverse effects associated with the amount of nanoaluminum used in various national pediatric immunization regimens. This study aimed to investigate the possible genotoxic effects of nanoaluminum incorporated in human vaccines on the brains of newborn albino rats and whether nanocurcumin has a potential protective effect against this toxicity. Fifty newborn albino rats were randomly assigned to 5 groups, with 10 in each group. Groups 1 and 2 received "high" and "low" Al injections corresponding to either the American or Scandinavian pediatric immunization schedules, respectively, as opposed to the control rats (group 5) that received saline injections. Groups 3 and 4 received the same regimens as groups 1 and 2 in addition to oral nanocurcumin. The expression of both the cell breakdown gene tumor protein (P53) and the cell stress gene uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) was significantly greater in groups 1 and 2 than in group 5. Groups 1 and 2 exhibited severe DNA fragmentation, which was observed as DNA laddering. Nanocurcumin significantly reduced the expression of the P53 and UCP2 genes in groups 3 and 4, with very low or undetectable DNA laddering in both groups. Vaccination with nanoaluminum adjuvants can cause genotoxic effects, which can be mediated by the inflammatory response and oxidative stress, and nanocurcumin can protect against these toxic effects through the modulation of oxidative stress regulators and gene expression.

Developing a novel screening tool to address pediatric COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy at point of care.

Many children are still not vaccinated against COVID-19, often attributed to rising pediatric vaccine hesitancy. To address this complex public health issue, interventions that uncover parental thinking at point of care are needed to help facilitate discussions in the exam room. The cognitive science framework of Rule Developing Experimentation helps distinguish how people think about day-to-day topics by presenting respondents with a systematic combination of messages that determines the ideas primarily driving their decisions. We hypothesized that Rule Developing Experimentation can empirically assess and identify parental mind-sets in deciding to vaccinate their children to prevent COVID-19. Artificial intelligence was also incorporated to more efficiently help formulate messages. Through an iterative process, surveying a total of 600 participants, three mind-sets emerged regarding the types of messages which parents believe would convince them to vaccinate their children to prevent COVID-19. These three mind-sets are summarized by the following phrases - "Covid is Serious," "Science Says Vaccine Works," and "Vaccine Returns Kids to Normalcy". Using these mind-sets, a simple six-question instrument (i.e., Personal Viewpoint Identifier) was then created to quickly discern at point of care a parent's mind-set surrounding pediatric COVID-19 vaccination. By quickly identifying a parent's mindset at point of care, providers can then utilize the results of the assessment to deliver individualized messaging to parents about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination. A future study is planned to evaluate the impact of incorporating the Personal Viewpoint Identifier into routine pediatric care settings on COVID-19 vaccination rates.

Safety and Immunogenicity of the Live Attenuated Varicella Vaccine in Vietnamese Children Aged 12 Months to 12 Years: An Open-Label, Single-Arm Bridging Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the SKYVaricella vaccine in healthy Vietnamese children aged 12 months to 12 years. METHODS: This open-label, single-arm study involved 201 children divided into two groups: 60 children aged 12 months to 5 years and 141 children aged 6 to 12 years. Safety was assessed through immediate reactions, solicited adverse events within 7 days, and unsolicited events up to Day 42. Immunogenicity was evaluated by seroconversion rates (SCR) and geometric mean titer (GMT) increments using fluorescent antibody-to-membrane antigen (FAMA) on the day of vaccination (D0) and 42 days after vaccination (D42). RESULTS: All participants completed the follow-up. Immediate adverse events included pain (8.0%), redness (8.0%), and swelling (20.9%) at the injection site. Within 7 days, pain (17.9%) and swelling (12.4%) were mild and self-resolving. Unsolicited adverse events were infrequent and mild. Both age groups achieved 100% SCR. GMT of varicella-zoster virus antibodies increased from 1.37 (SD 1.97) at D0 to 18.02 (SD 2.22) at D42, a 13.12-fold rise. No Grade 3 adverse events were observed. CONCLUSION: The SKYVaricella vaccine shows a robust immunogenic response and favorable safety profile in Vietnamese children aged 12 months to 12 years. These findings endorse its potential inclusion in pediatric vaccination programs as a reliable preventive option against varicella.

A Phase 1/2a Study Evaluating Safety and Immunogenicity of Ad26.RSV.preF in RSV-seronegative Toddlers Aged 12-24 Months.

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes serious illness in children. The Ad26.RSV.preF vaccine candidate was immunogenic with acceptable safety in a phase 1/2a study of RSV-seropositive children. Here, we assessed its safety and immunogenicity in RSV-seronegative children. Methods: In this randomized, observer-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase 1/2a study (NCT03606512; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03606512), RSV-seronegative toddlers aged 12-24 months received Ad26.RSV.preF (2.5 × 1010 viral particles) or placebo on days 1, 29, and 57 (a meningococcal vaccine [Nimenrix] could substitute for day 57 placebo). Primary endpoints were solicited local and systemic adverse events (AEs; 7 days after each vaccination), unsolicited AEs (28 days postvaccination), and serious AEs (first vaccination until study end). Participants were monitored for RSV-respiratory tract infection to assess infection rates and for severe RSV-lower respiratory tract infection as an indication of enhanced disease. RSV-A2 neutralizing, RSV (A and B) preF binding, and RSV postF immunoglobulin G-binding antibodies were evaluated on days 1 (predose), 8, and 85, and after RSV season 1. Results: Thirty-eight participants were enrolled and vaccinated (Ad26.RSV.preF, n = 20; placebo, placebo/Nimenrix, n = 18). Solicited AEs were more common following Ad26.RSV.preF than placebo; most were mild/moderate. No vaccine-related serious AEs were reported. Five of 19 participants receiving Ad26.RSV.preF and 2/18 receiving placebo or placebo/Nimenrix had confirmed RSV-respiratory tract infection or RSV-associated otitis media; none were considered severe. At the final season 1 study visit, most Ad26.RSV.preF recipients had ≥2-fold increases from baseline in RSV-A2 neutralizing, RSV A and B preF binding, and RSV postF antibodies. Conclusions: Ad26.RSV.preF was well tolerated and immunogenic in RSV-seronegative toddlers.

Pediatric HPV vaccination: Provider recommendations matter among hesitant parents.

INTRODUCTION: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. HPV-associated diseases are preventable with vaccination, but HPV vaccine coverage remains below other vaccines recommended during childhood and adolescence. We examined correlates of pediatric HPV vaccination among parents who have reported hesitancy toward the HPV vaccine. In addition to sociodemographic correlates, we investigated the relationships between the social process of healthcare provider recommendations and pediatric HPV vaccination. METHODS: We utilized phone survey data (N = 2201) collected in October 2022 via random digit dialing of Arkansan adults-Black and Hispanic respondents were oversampled for adequate representation. The survey was provided in English and Spanish. The analysis focused on a subsample of parents of children ages 9 to 17 years who reported HPV vaccine hesitancy (n = 201). Analyses include descriptive statistics, bivariate logistic regression, and multivariate logistic regression with Full Information Maximum Likelihood estimation. RESULTS: A third (32.96%) of vaccine-hesitant parents reported their child(ren) had received at least one dose of the HPV vaccine. Only half (50.93%) of vaccine-hesitant parents received a healthcare provider recommendation to vaccinate their child(ren) between the ages of 9 and 17 against HPV. Adjusted odds of pediatric HPV vaccination were four times greater when vaccine-hesitant parents received a healthcare provider's recommendation (OR = 4.67; 95% CI[1.89, 11.55]) compared to when they had not. Pediatric HPV vaccination for parents whose provider did not recommend the HPV vaccine was not significantly different from those with no provider. CONCLUSION: Healthcare provider recommendations are important for promoting HPV vaccination even among parents who are vaccine hesitant. Additional research is needed to understand why pediatric HPV vaccine recommendations are not made more often or consistently, particularly among vaccine-hesitant populations. This study demonstrates support for the growing body of research on hesitant adopters.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of pediatric immunization program with 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Japan.

BACKGROUND: The 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15 or V114) has recently been approved for pediatric vaccination against pneumococcal diseases (PDs) in Japan. The study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of pediatric vaccination with V114 versus 13-valent PCV (PCV13) in Japan. METHODS: The study used a decision analytical Markov model to estimate the cost and effectiveness outcomes for a birth cohort in Japan over a 10-year time horizon. The model tracked the occurrences of acute PD events, including invasive PD (IPD), non-bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia (NBPP) and pneumococcal acute otitis media (AOM) and the long-term impact of post-meningitis sequalae. Vaccine effectiveness was estimated based on literature and assumptions, and accounted for indirect effects and vaccine waning. The base case took the societal perspective, including both direct and indirect costs, while a healthcare payer perspective was modeled in a scenario analysis. Additional scenario analyses and sensitivity analyses were conducted. RESULTS: In the base case, V114 was associated with an incremental gain of 24 quality-adjusted life years and a reduction of ¥365,610,955 in total costs compared to PCV13. It was expected to reduce the number of pneumococcal AOM, NBPP, and IPD cases by 1,832, 1,333 and 25, respectively. All scenario analyses and most sensitivity analyses showed that V114 was a dominant strategy compared to PCV13. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric vaccination with V114 is expected to lead to cost savings and more health benefits compared to PCV13 in Japan from both societal and healthcare payer perspectives. The findings are robust under plausible assumptions and inputs.

Characterization of parental intention to vaccinate elementary school aged children in the state of California.

In October 2021, Emergency Use Authorization of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines was granted for children aged 5-11. To ensure vaccine uptake in children upon approval, California will implement a state-wide executive order mandating COVID-19 vaccination for school children following full US FDA approval. This study uses survey data collected between November 6th, 2020 and December 14th, 2020 (n = 2091) to identify how sociodemographic characteristics and attitudes towards childhood vaccines among California parents were associated with their intentions to vaccinate their child against COVID-19. About one quarter (26 %) of surveyed California parents did not intend to vaccinate their child, suggesting skepticism towards the COVID-19 vaccine for children and the potential for pushback to a COVID-19 vaccine school-entry mandate. However, 17 % were unsure of their decision, suggesting the potential for public health messaging to make a positive impact on COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake. This study identifies characteristics of hesitant parents in California to prioritize for research and outreach. These data also provide a baseline for parental attitudes towards vaccinating children against COVID-19 in California, which will be useful for characterizing changes in attitudes towards childhood COVID-19 vaccination over time.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Routine Use of 15-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine in the US Pediatric Population.

This study evaluated the clinical and economic impact of routine pediatric vaccination with the 15-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV15, V114) compared with the 13-valent PCV (PCV13) from a societal perspective in the United States (US). A Markov decision-analytic model was constructed to estimate the outcomes for the entire US population over a 100-year time horizon. The model estimated the impact of V114 versus PCV13 on pneumococcal disease (PD) incidence, post meningitis sequalae, and deaths, taking herd immunity effects into account. V114 effectiveness was extrapolated from the observed PCV13 data and PCV7 clinical trials. Costs (2021$) included vaccine acquisition and administration costs, direct medical costs for PD treatment, direct non-medical costs, and indirect costs, and were discounted at 3% per year. In the base case, V114 prevented 185,711 additional invasive pneumococcal disease, 987,727 all-cause pneumonia, and 11.2 million pneumococcal acute otitis media cases, compared with PCV13. This led to expected gains of 90,026 life years and 96,056 quality-adjusted life years with a total saving of $10.8 billion. Sensitivity analysis showed consistent results over plausible values of key model inputs and assumptions. The findings suggest that V114 is a cost-saving option compared to PCV13 in the routine pediatric vaccination program.

Human Papillomavirus Vaccinations: Provider Education to Enhance Vaccine Uptake.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the number one sexually transmitted infection (STI) worldwide. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approximated that 92% of HPV-related cancers might be prevented by receiving the HPV 9-valent vaccine (Gardasil 9). The 2-dose HPV vaccine for children ages 11 to 12 years provides almost 100% protection against strains affiliated with cervical, vaginal, and vulvar cancers. Provider education is essential to decrease clinical knowledge deficits and increase vaccination uptake. Evidence-based provider recommendations expressed to eligible individuals improves vaccination rates. Evidence-based approaches for vaccine-hesitant parents involve using the presumptive announcement approach, asking for and addressing main concerns, and trying again if the parent initially declines. Seventy percent of parents who initially decide not to get their child vaccinated later agree to the vaccine or schedule a follow-up appointment. The CDC guidelines for HPV vaccinations, including the catch-up and adult guidelines, are reviewed. A clinical vignette with case scenarios and a Q&A quiz are included.

The burden of rotavirus-associated acute gastroenteritis in the elderly: assessment of the epidemiology in the context of universal childhood vaccination programs.

INTRODUCTION: Rotaviruses (RVs) cause acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in infants and young children worldwide and also in older adults (≥60 years), however the burden among this age group is not well understood. Herd immunity through pediatric RV vaccination may reduce the burden of RVGE across all ages, however the impact of pediatric vaccination on burden in older adults is poorly understood. AREAS COVERED: This systematic review was undertaken to identify studies related to the following objectives: understand the burden of RV in older adults, RV seroprevalence, and the impact of pediatric vaccination on this burden and highlight evidence gaps to guide future research. Of studies identified, 59 studies from two databases were included in this analysis following a review by two reviewers. EXPERT OPINION: RV is an understudied disease in older adults. We found that 0-62% of patients with AGE tested positive for RV, with results varying by setting, country, and patient age. Results also suggest that pediatric vaccination benefits older adults through herd protection. Several studies showed a reduction in RV incidence after vaccination. However, there was variety in results and lack of consistency in outcomes reported. Further studies targeting older adults are needed to better characterize RV burden.

Cost-Effectiveness of Intranasal Live-Attenuated Influenza Vaccine for Children: A Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: The public health burden of seasonal influenza is significant, and influenza vaccination is the most effective preventive strategy. Nonetheless, the recommendation of influenza immunization in the pediatric population is still underrepresented. Our work aimed to assess the cost-effectiveness of pediatric influenza vaccination with the intranasal live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV). METHODS: We performed a systematic review of publications from PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Scopus, covering the period from 1 January 2000 to 30 April 2022. We searched for economic evaluations that studied the impacts of LAIV among children or the pediatric population. Studies that considered incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), in terms of cost per gain in life years, quality adjusted life years, or disability-adjusted life years, were covered. The Consensus Health Economic Criteria (CHEC) Extended Checklist was adopted to check the quality of the included studies. RESULTS: Thirteen studies were included for the final review that were of good or excellent quality. The implementation of influenza vaccination with intranasal LAIV in the pediatric population was cost-effective when compared to the immunization strategies for the elderly and the high-risk groups alone or with no vaccination. The efficacy of LAIV for children, vaccination coverage, and the vaccine price were significant factors to the cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination for children. Another significant contribution to the cost-effectiveness was the herd immunity arising from pediatric immunization against influenza. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of influenza vaccination in the pediatric population with LAIV is cost-effective. Policymakers and health authorities may consider the evidence on the development of the pediatric influenza vaccination in their immunization schedules.

PCV13 Pediatric Routine Schedule Completion and Adherence Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: A 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) was licensed to protect against emerging Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes. Healthcare services, including routine childhood immunizations, were disrupted as a result of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study compared PCV13 routine vaccination completion and adherence among US infants before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and the relationship between primary and booster dose completion and adherence. METHODS: Retrospective data from Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart were used to create three cohorts using data collected between January 2017 and December 2020: cohort 1 (C1), pre-COVID; cohort 2 (C2), cross-COVID; and cohort 3 (C3), during COVID. Study endpoints were completion and adherence to the primary PCV13 series (analyzed using univariate logistic regression) and completion of and adherence to the booster dose (analyzed descriptively). RESULTS: The analysis included 142,853 infants in C1, 27,211 infants in C2, and 53,306 infants in C3. Among infants with at least 8 months of follow-up from birth, three-primary-dose completion (receipt of all three doses within 8 months after birth) and adherence (receipt of doses at recommended times) were significantly higher before (C1 and C2) versus during (C3) COVID-19 (odds ratio [OR] 1.12 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07, 1.16] and OR 1.10 [95% CI 1.05, 1.15], respectively). A significantly higher percentage of infants received a booster dose before versus during COVID-19 (83.2% vs. 80.2%; OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.17, 1.29); similarly, booster dose adherence was higher before than during COVID-19 (51.2% vs. 47.4%; OR 1.17; 95% CI 1.13, 1.21). The odds of booster dose completion were 8.26 (95% CI 7.92, 8.60) and 7.90 (95% CI 7.14, 8.74) times as likely in infants who completed all three primary doses than in infants who did not complete primary doses before COVID-19 and during COVID-19, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PCV13 full completion was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic compared with pre-pandemic (79.0% vs. 77.1%).

Trends in Well-Child Visits and Routine Vaccination among Children of U.S. Military Members: An Evaluation of the COVID-19 Pandemic Effects.

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically impacted administration of healthcare including well-child visits and routine vaccinations. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic disruption on childhood health maintenance: well-child visits and scheduled vaccinations. We queried the TRICARE Management Activity's Military Health System (MHS) database for outpatient well-child visits and vaccinations for all children 0 to 23 months of age eligible for TRICARE healthcare. The median rate of well-child visits, during the COVID-19 period (March 2020-July 2021), was significantly declined for all demographic groups: all ages, parental military ranks, sex, and regions as compared to the pre-COVID-19 period (February 2019-February 2020). Similar to rates of well-child visits, the rate of vaccinations declined during the COVID-19 period as compared to the pre-COVID-19 period for all demographic groups, except children 12-23 months. Rates of well-child visits for military dependent children under 2 years of age were decreased during the 16 month COVID-19 period, with large increases seen in the first 2 months of the pandemic; the consequences of missed well-child visits and vaccination are unknown.

Dynamic characteristics of COVID-19 infection in Chinese children.

From the start of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020, COVID-19 infection in the pediatric population has aroused great attention. This article presents dynamic epidemiological characteristics of COVID-19 infection in pediatric patients from January 2020 to March 2022 in China. These data contributed essential insights and shared experience on the management of COVID-19 in children. To date, the unvaccinated population and events with children need more attention.

"Is that for here or to go?" Drive-Through Pediatric Vaccine Clinic as a Novel Approach during a Global Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: Routine childhood vaccination and well-child visits are essential for pediatric patients' preventative and public healthcare services. The COVID-19 pandemic had an immediate and significant decline in well-child visits and vaccine administration. A one-of-a-kind 'Drive-Through Vaccine Clinic' was established to improve the vaccination rate and alleviate parental anxiety about being exposed to COVID-19 infection. METHODS: Our initial focus was on children between 18 months - 4 years of age at the start of the pandemic, and then extended this to the back-to-school vaccines and the Influenza vaccines. RESULTS: The Drive-Through Immunization Station provided 745 vaccines to 415 patients between April and September, 2020. The median wait time involved from patient arrival to completion of vaccine administration was 5 minutes at the Drive-Through location. Patient and parent feedback was positive. The addition of the Drive-Through Clinic helped to significantly increase the total number of vaccines administered compared to the previous year. CONCLUSION: In a global pandemic, innovative ideas to increase access to preventive healthcare should be a priority. In the future, this method of non-traditional vaccine administration, will allow for improved outreach efforts to underserved populations in our communities, and better disaster preparedness.

Cost-effectiveness of childhood influenza vaccination in Europe: results from a systematic review.

Introduction: Influenza can be a significant public health problem. Nevertheless, it is preventable through vaccination. Concerning the pediatric population, the recommendation of influenza vaccination is under-represented in many European countries. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of universal childhood vaccination against influenza in Europe.Areas covered: We conducted a systematic review of original article assessing the cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination by searching PubMed, Embase and Scopus databases for studies in English, starting from January 1st, 2010 up to October 21st, 2020.Expert opinion: Our literature review showed that all studies identified highlight that pediatric vaccinations using a live vaccine, especially in the quadrivalent formulation, are cost-effective compared to current vaccinations (elderly and at-risk groups) with TIV or no vaccination. A significant contribution to this positive economic profile is due to the indirect protection. Already many clinical data report the relevant direct and indirect impact of vaccination against influenza for younger subjects. The recent studies collected in this review showed also that the pediatric vaccination is also cost-effective. Therefore, decision-makers should now consider this new favorable evidence.

Portuguese parental beliefs and attitudes towards vaccination.

INTRODUCTION: Portugal has one of the highest vaccine coverage rates among European countries, associated with excellent vaccine convenience and confidence levels. Considering both the high rate of pediatric vaccination in Portugal and the excellent indicators of vaccine convenience established, an analysis of confidence and complacency indicators could help understand this positive example. This study aimed to characterize parental beliefs according to the intention to vaccinate a next child and identify cognitive and demographic predictors of that intention in a Portuguese sample. METHODS: We measured perceptions of vaccines' safety and efficacy, perceptions of the severity of vaccine-preventable diseases, beliefs related to conspiracy theories, attitudes towards immunization requirements, perceptions of social norms as predictors of the intention to vaccinate a subsequent child. We also inquired if parents had previously refused a recommended vaccine. The authors disseminated the questionnaire online to reach a diverse population of parents of 0-12 years old children. The final sample included 1,118 parents, 96.9% reported their intention to vaccinate the next child, and 3.6% had previously refused a vaccine. Two additional open-ended questions regarding motives to vaccinate or refuse a future baby's vaccination were answered by 886 parents. RESULTS: All the evaluated parental cognitive dimensions were significantly different between the group of parents who would vaccinate a next child and those who expressed the intention not to vaccinate. Beliefs about the safety and efficacy of vaccines and having fewer children were significant predictors of that intention. CONCLUSION: The vast majority of parents reported attitudes and beliefs favorable to pediatric vaccination with high consistency in all cognitive dimensions assessed. Concerns regarding pediatric vaccines' safety need to be sensitively and actively addressed by health providers to maintain excellent vaccination coverage rates.