Assessment of Efficacy and Safety of mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines in Children Aged 5 to 11 Years

(JAMA Pediatrics)   Are messenger RNA (mRNA) COVID-19 vaccines safe and effective in children aged 5 to 11 years? In this systematic review and meta-analysis including 17 studies with 10 935 541 vaccinated and 2 635 251 unvaccinated children aged 5 to 11 years, COVID-19 vaccination was associated with lower risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection, symptomatic COVID-19, hospitalization, and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. While vaccination, compared with placebo, was associated with higher incidences of adverse events, the overall frequency of severe adverse events, including myocarditis, was low. These data support the safety and efficacy of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines among children aged 5 to 11 years and endorse the universal age-based recommendations.