On Feb. 18, 2021, Washington University pediatric infectious diseases doctors announced plans to launch clinical trials in the spring at St. Louis Childrenﾒs Hospital to evaluate COVID-19 vaccines in children.

While children are far less likely than adults to become seriously ill from COVID-19, they still can spread the virus. The trials determined how well the immune systems of children respond to coronavirus vaccines that have been shown to be safe and effective in adults.