Side effects from the Pfizer vaccine in children aged between 12 and 15 who are considered vulnerable to Covid have been monitored in a new study.Adverse reactions were either mild or moderate in all of the young people, except one who had “severe fatigue and severe discomfort combined with increased agitation”.Researchers in Bristol looked at 27 children whose parents recorded any side effects after the jab.’Mild or moderate’Adverse reactions were either mild or moderate in all of the young people, except one who had “severe fatigue and severe discomfort combined with increased agitation”.Experts said the small size and scope of the study does not allow for conclusions on rare side effects or inform the debate on vaccinating healthy younger teens.Currently, children aged between 12 and 15 who are clinically vulnerable to Covid or live with adults who are at increased risk of serious illness from the virus are eligible for a coronavirus vaccine.There have been calls from some quarters to extend the rollout to all healthy 12 to 15-year-olds, especially as the return of schools is expected to lead to a rise in infections.’Must await further data’Russell Viner, professor of adolescent health at UCL Institute of Child Health, noted that the study “should reassure parents and doctors that there are no special precautions or issues with this vaccine in this small group of children”.He added: “However these data can tell us very little about rare side effects or about vaccinating healthy teenagers or those with common conditions such as asthma and diabetes. For that we must await further data in the order of millions of doses.”The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has not given a recommendation to widen the rollout to this age group, but the NHS in England is reportedly making preparations to enable it to proceed if there is a decision to do so.All of the participants in the study were children with severe neurodisabilities who tend to get recurrent respiratory infections and spend time in residential care.Researchers said one family reported a change in seizure type but this had been resolved a week after the vaccine.SymptomsEffects in six of the children after a first dose included a mild rash, headache, diarrhoea, presumed sore throat, neck pain, difficulty sleeping and low blood sugars.But all of these had gone away within 72 hours, according to the study, which is due to be published in the Archives of Disease…