The first study about vaccination against COVID-19 in adolescents aged 12 to 15 years was published on 27 May 2021. Despite the small sample of this study, a thousand people, the conclusions were considered relevant for the subsequent decisions taken in different countries: The vaccine is immunogenic, that is, it leads to a substantial production of protective antibodies; And it is highly effective, with 90%-95% disease protection. As the study was carried out with a sample of only a thousand adolescents, some precaution regarding its results remained, especially because it is known that cases of rare serious adverse effects are usually only detected in phase four of clinical trials - the phase of commercialization of vaccines, that is, when its use is generalized in the population. It was not necessary to wait a long time for the doubts to disappear. On July 16, 2021, a new article on this topic was published, but with the results of vaccination in a sample of about 9 million adolescents between 12 and 17 years old, who, in the meantime, had been vaccinated with the vaccine from Pfizer/Biontech in the USA. According to this study: 1% of those vaccinated reported side effects (about 9,000); 4.3% of these reported side effects were cases of myocarditis, most of it of mild disease, treated with usual therapy and without the need for hospitalization; Only 56 of the 9 million adolescents vaccinated, or around 0.0006%, were hospitalized for side effects of the vaccine. The study concluded that the vaccine is safe, and that all side effects, with the exception of myocarditis, are perfectly tolerated by those vaccinated, and that, therefore, there are no problems in using the vaccine. According to the study conclusions, for every million doses administered to adolescents, the following problems are avoided: About 5700 cases of COVID-19 disease; About 200 hospitalizations; 70 admissions to intensive care; Two deaths. It is also expected that there will be between 50 and 70 cases of myocarditis, most of which are easy to treat and do not require hospitalization. Adolescent vaccination has become widespread, however, in many European countries. In Portugal, the General Directorate of Health recommended the vaccination of adolescents from 12 in August 2021. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
