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By Dr. Chinta Sidharthan Apr 26 2024 Reviewed by Lily Ramsey, LLM

In a recent study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, researchers investigated whether the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 years, which was approved in May 2021, was associated with changes in the incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and related hospitalizations among the pediatric population in California, United States (U.S.).

Study:  COVID-19 Vaccination and Incidence of Pediatric SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Hospitalization . Image Credit: Prostock-studio/Shutterstock.com Background

The spread and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic have been successfully controlled due to the rapid development of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and concerted efforts worldwide to vaccinate adult and at-risk populations.

The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, developed largely by Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech, were widely used for the adult populations.

Since children and adolescents were not found to be at a high risk of severe COVID-19, developing vaccines for the younger populations was of secondary priority during the peak periods of the pandemic.

However, in May 2021, the first mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents between 12 and 15 years was approved. In the subsequent months, vaccines for children between the ages of five and 11 years and six months and five years were also approved.

Although these vaccines are safe, vaccine hesitancy because of parental concerns about safety and adverse effects, and perceptions of reduced severity of the infection among children have resulted in low vaccine uptake among the younger populations. About the study

In the present study, the researchers examined whether the COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents impacted the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and hospitalizations among the pediatric population in California.

A better understanding of the impact of the vaccine in lowering incidence rates, reducing the severity of the disease, and mitigating the need for hospitalization is essential in formulating future public health policies on booster doses and developing vaccines against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Related StoriesDoes vitamin D have protective role against COVID-19?COVID-19 shatters decades of global health progress, slashing life expectancyStudy reveals how SARS-CoV-2 hijacks lung cells to drive COVID-19 severity

The researchers analyzed deidentified data for close to four million pediatric COVID-19 cases and over 12,000 hospitalizations from California.

The outcomes associated with COVID-19 vaccination, including the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections and hospitalizations, were analyzed for each county and state according to the vaccine introduction phases for the three age groups.

The deidentified data contained age, county of residence, and hospitalization status information. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was required to confirm COVID-19.

For the statistical analyses, the researchers grouped the cases based on county of residence, as well as age groups according to vaccine eligibility.

Furthermore, the data for each age group was also divided into periods of vaccine ineligibility and eligibility, and the outcomes were evaluated from a month after the vaccination until the analysis of the data or the beginning of the vaccine eligibility period for the next age group. Results

The results suggested that the COVID-19 vaccine effectively limited the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among the pediatric population in California.

The analysis found that close to 380,000 COVID-19 cases and 273 hospitalizations among children between the ages of six months and 15 years were averted in four to seven months after the availability of the vaccine. These numbers represent 26% of the cases in the pediatric population.

The researchers stated that their results among the pediatric population were similar to those from various U.S. and Israeli studies reporting the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in averting a substantial number of COVID-19 cases among the adult population.

The positive impact of the COVID-19 vaccine was found to be the highest among children between the ages of 12 and 15 years.

Among children ages six months to five years, the reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases was not found to be significant. However, the researchers believe this could be because of low transmission rates of the variant circulating during the evaluation period for that age group.

Notably, despite the vaccination coverage being just above half (53.5%) among adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 years and even lower among children below 12, a total of 376,085 cases of COVID-19 were averted in California.

These findings highlight the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in lowering the incidence and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections and limiting the transmission of the virus among children and adolescents. Conclusions

To conclude, the study found that despite just over 50% vaccination coverage, the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine approved for use among adolescents and children in the U.S. averted close to 400,000 cases among the pediatric population.

These results highlighted the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine in protecting individuals of all age groups against SARS-CoV-2 infections. Furthermore, these findings also support future public health decisions to administer booster doses. Journal reference:

Head, J. R., Collender, P. A., León, Tomás M, White, L. A., Sud, S. R., Camponuri, S. K., Lee, V., Lewnard, J. A., & Remais, J. V. (2024). COVID-19 Vaccination and Incidence of Pediatric SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Hospitalization. JAMA Network Open.  doi:https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.7822. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2817868

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Entertainment

Gillian Anderson warns UK homelessness ‘will only get worse’

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Gillian Anderson warns UK homelessness 'will only get worse'

Gillian Anderson has warned homelessness is a growing problem in the UK – one that will only get worse if we enter a recession.

The award-winning actress, who is playing a woman facing homelessness along with her husband in her latest film, The Salt Path, told Sky News: “It’s interesting because I feel like it’s even changed in the UK in the last little while.”

Born in Chicago, and now living in London, she explained: “I’m used to seeing it so much in Vancouver and California and other areas that I spent time. You don’t often see it as much in the UK.”

Her co-star in the film, White Lotus actor Jason Isaacs, chips in: “You do now.”

“It’s now becoming more and more prevalent since COVID,” said Anderson, “and the current financial situation in the country and around the world.

“It’s a topic that I think will be more and more in the forefront of people’s minds, particularly if we end up going into a recession.”

Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear
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Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs in The Salt Path. Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear

The film is based on Raynor Winn’s 2018 memoir, which depicts her and her husband’s 630-mile trek along the Cornish, Devon and Dorset coastline, walking from Minehead, Somerset to Land’s End.

Written from her notes on the journey, The Salt Path went on to sell over a million copies worldwide and spent nearly two years in The Sunday Times bestseller list. Winn’s since written two more memoirs.

Isaacs, who plays her husband Moth Winn in the movie, told Sky News that Winn told him she “hopes [the film] makes people look at homeless people when they walk by in a different light, give them a second look and maybe talk to them”.

With record levels of homelessness in the UK, with a recent Financial Times analysis showing one in every 200 households in the UK is experiencing homelessness, the cost of living crisis is worsening an already serious problem.

Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear
Image:
Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear

The film sees Ray and Winn let down by the system, first by the court which evicts them from their home, then by the council which tells them despite a terminal diagnosis they don’t qualify for emergency housing.

Following the loss of their family farm shortly after Moth’s shock terminal diagnosis with rare neurological condition Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), the couple find solace in nature.

They set off with just a tent and two backpacks to walk the coastal path.

Isaacs says living in a transient way comes naturally to actors, admitting like his character, he too “lives out of a suitcase” and is “away on jobs often”.

Read more:
Is this every actor’s bucket list job?

Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear
Image:
Pic: Steve Tanner/Black Bear

Shot in 2023 across Somerset, Devon, Cornwall and Wales, Anderson says as a city-dweller, the locations had an impact on her.

Anderson reveals: “As I’ve gotten older, I have become more aware of nature than […] when I was younger, and certainly in filming this film and being outside and so much of nature being a third character, it did shift my thinking around it.”

Meanwhile, Isaacs says he discovered a “third character” leading the film just the day before our interview, when speaking to Winn on the phone.

Isaacs says the author told him: “I feel like there’s three characters in the film,” going on, “I thought she was going to say nature, but she said, ‘No, that path'”.

Isaacs elaborates: “Not just nature, but that path where the various biblical landscapes you get and the animals, they matter.

“The things that happen on that path were a huge part of their own personal story and hopefully the audience’s journey as well.”

The Salt Path comes to UK cinemas on Friday 30 May.

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Politics

PM could lift controversial benefit cap in budget – as Farage makes two big election promises

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PM could lift controversial benefit cap in budget - as Farage makes two big election promises

Sir Keir Starmer could decide to lift the two-child benefit cap in the autumn budget, amid further pressure from Nigel Farage to appeal to traditional Labour voters.

The Reform leader will use a speech this week to commit his party to scrapping the two-child cap, as well as reinstating winter fuel payments in full.

The prime minister – who took Westminster by surprise at PMQs by revealing his intention to row back on the winter fuel cut – has previously said he would like to lift the two-child cap if the government could afford it.

There are now mounting suggestions an easing of the controversial benefit restriction may be unveiled when the chancellor delivers the budget later this year.

According to The Observer, Sir Keir told cabinet ministers he wanted to axe the measure – and asked the Treasury to look for ways to fund the move.

It comes after the government delayed the release of its child poverty strategy, which is expected to recommend the divisive cap – introduced by former Tory chancellor George Osborne – is scrapped.

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Why did Labour delay their child poverty strategy?

Ministers have already said any changes to winter fuel payments, triggered by mounting political pressure, would only be made when the government’s next fiscal event rolls round.

The Financial Times reported it may be done by restoring the benefit to all pensioners, with the cash needed being clawed back from the wealthy through the tax system.

The payment was taken from more than 10 million pensioners this winter after it became means-tested, and its unpopularity was a big factor in Labour’s battering at recent elections.

Before Wednesday’s PMQs, the prime minister and chancellor had insisted there would be no U-turn.

More from Sky News:
PM’s winter fuel claim ‘not credible’
Starmer vs Reeves – the ‘rift’ in Downing Street

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Will winter fuel U-turn happen?

Many Labour MPs have called for the government to do more to help the poorest in society, amid mounting concern over the impact of wider benefit reforms.

Former prime minister Gordon Brown this week told Sky News the two-child cap was “pretty discriminatory” and could be scrapped by raising money through a tax on the gambling industry.

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Brown questioned over winter fuel U-turn

Mr Farage, who believes Reform UK can win the next election, will this week accuse Sir Keir of being “out of touch with working people”.

In a speech first reported by The Sunday Telegraph, he is expected to say: “It’s going to be these very same working people that will vote Reform at the next election and kick Labour out of government.”

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Politics

Sir Alan Bates attacks ‘kangaroo court’ Post Office scheme after ‘take it or leave it’ offer

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Sir Alan Bates attacks 'kangaroo court' Post Office scheme after 'take it or leave it' offer

Sir Alan Bates has accused the government of presiding over a “quasi kangaroo court” for Post Office compensation.

Writing in The Sunday Times, the campaigner, who led a years-long effort for justice for sub-postmasters, revealed he had been given a “take it or leave it” offer that was less than half of his original claim.

“The sub-postmaster compensation schemes have been turned into quasi-kangaroo courts in which the Department for Business and Trade sits in judgement of the claims and alters the goal posts as and when it chooses,” he said.

“Claims are, and have been, knocked back on the basis that legally you would not be able to make them, or that the parameters of the scheme do not extend to certain items.”

More than 900 sub-postmasters were prosecuted between 1999 and 2015 after faulty Horizon accounting software made it look as if money was missing from their accounts.

Many are still waiting for compensation despite the previous government saying those who had their convictions quashed were eligible for £600,000 payouts.

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‘It still gives me nightmares’

After the Post Office terminated his contract over a false shortfall in 2003, Sir Alan began seeking out other sub-postmasters and eventually took the Post Office to court.

More on Post Office Scandal

A group litigation order (GLO) scheme was set up to achieve redress for 555 claimants who took the Post Office to the High Court between 2017 and 2019.

Sir Alan, who was portrayed by actor Toby Jones in ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, has called for an independent body to be created to deliver compensation.

He added that promises the compensation schemes would be “non-legalistic” had turned out to be “worthless”.

It is understood around 80% of postmasters in Sir Alan’s group have accepted a full and final redress, or been paid most of their offer.

Read more:
Post Office scandal explained

Who are the key figures in the scandal?

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‘Lives were destroyed’

A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson told Sky News: “We pay tribute to all the postmasters who’ve suffered from this scandal, including Sir Alan for his tireless campaign for justice, and we have quadrupled the total amount paid to postmasters since entering government.

“We recognise there will be an absence of evidence given the length of time which has passed, and we therefore aim to give the benefit of the doubt to postmasters as far as possible.

“Anyone unhappy with their offer can have their case reviewed by a panel of experts, which is independent of the government.”

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