Autumn is the new summer in Ireland for unvaccinated adults.

Between now and late August, the drive is on to fully vaccinate the population over 18, with a target to have 80pc fully protected.

Unvaccinated groups need to be cautious because of the Delta variant upsurge, but what about children?

Parents are already being told not to bring children indoors to eat in restaurants. So, if it is lashing rain and a family are on holiday, make sure to pack the sandwiches.

Why are children finding themselves such an unexpected focus?

 

Unvaccinated

The Delta variant is more efficient at infecting people because it is so much more transmissible – and it preys on the unvaccinated.

Older children and young people are a large unvaccinated group, so they have become a key cohort for the spread of the virus. Figures show the highest incidence of the virus is among those aged 19 to 24, but they are followed by 13 to 18-year-olds.

Adult to child infection

Yesterday, three children were in hospital with suspected Covid-19.  

Professor Karina Butler, a paediatrician at Crumlin Hospital in Dublin, said doctors may diagnose the virus incidentally in children who are being screened for other health conditions.

“Children can get this. There seemed to be more outbreaks in the UK or clusters in school,” she said.

“It is always hard to pick up how much that is reflecting what is going on in the community.

“There will be household transmission where children can pick it up.

“It seems to be overall that adults infect children rather than children infecting adults. We have not seen any major change here that I’m aware of.”

As more adults get fully vaccinated here, children’s infection levels will form a greater proportion of cases.

But that will not indicate that rates are worsening in younger people.

Professor Philip Nolan of Nphet said that as more of the adult population is vaccinated, there will be a better understanding of how the Delta variant affects children, but for now it is better to be cautious, he added.

 

Children and Covid

The evidence to date suggests that although children do develop Covid-19, very few develop severe symptoms even if they have an underlying health condition.

Between March 1 and April 30 this year, 33,884 cases were confirmed in the under-17s. Of these, 18 were admitted to intensive care. They were all discharged.

The rate of admission to intensive care for children was 1.5 per 100,000, compared with a rate of 42.5 per 100,000 for adults.

Covid-19 vaccine

The big question here that has yet to be decided is whether to offer the vaccine licensed for 12 to 15-year-olds to youngsters. It is already being offered to this group in the US.

The vaccine, made by Pfizer, has been passed as safe and effective by the European Medicines Agency.

Of the 1,005 children receiving the vaccine in a trial, none developed Covid-19, compared with 16 children out of the 978 who received the dummy injection.

This means that, in this study, the vaccine was 100pc effective at preventing Covid-19, although the true rate could be between 75pc and 100pc.

Prof Butler, who is also chair of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (Niac), is still assessing whether the vaccine should be offered to this age group.

It could potentially be offered to children with underlying health conditions or those who are living in households where there is a medically vulnerable parent or sibling. However, no decisions have yet been made.

There is a wider issue about giving vaccines to younger people who are at low risk from the virus, while at the same time at-risk adults and healthcare workers in poorer countries with high rates of virus are still waiting for a Covid-19 jab.

Then there is the issue of take-up by parents. Children were offered the flu jab here for the first time last year, but the take-up was low.

Schools here have done very well in minimising cases, but will the Delta variant now change that?