Oxford University testing vaccine in children

The University of Oxford plans to test its COVID-19 vaccine in children for the first time, becoming the latest vaccine developer to assess whether its coronavirus shot is effective in young people.

The trial announced Saturday seeks to recruit 300 volunteers between the ages of 6 and 17, with up to 240 receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and the remainder a control meningitis vaccine.

Andrew Pollard, chief researcher on the Oxford vaccine trial, says that while most children don't get severely ill from COVID-19, "it is important to establish the safety and immune response to the vaccine in children and young people as some children may benefit from vaccination.''

Regulators in more than 50 countries have authorized widespread use of the Oxford vaccine, which is being produced and distributed by AstraZeneca, for use in people over the age of 18.

Other drug companies are also testing the COVID-19 vaccines in children. Pfizer, whose vaccine has already been authorized for use in people 16 and older, began testing its shot in children as young as 12 in October. Moderna in December began testing its vaccine on children as young as 12.

Pollard said the Oxford trial should help policymakers decide whether at some point in the future they want to extend mass vaccination programs to children as they seek to ensure schools are safe and combat the spread of the virus in the wider population.

"For most children, for themselves, COVID is really not a big problem…,'' Pollard told The Associated Press. "However, it is certainly possible that wider use to try and curb the progress of the pandemic might be considered in the future, so here we're just trying to establish the data that would support that if indeed policymakers wanted to go in that direction."

___

THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:

Some Europeans get choosy about which vaccines they want. Airlines push White House to reject testing for US flights. CDC releases new guidance telling schools how to reopen. Japan expected to approve Pfizer vaccine within days; vaccines are key to holding the delayed Tokyo Olympics. Australia's Victoria state has imposed five-day lockdown starting Saturday in response to a COVID-19 outbreak at a quarantine hotel. 

— Follow AP's pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic, https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-vaccine and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

___

HERE'S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

MEXICO CITY __ Mexico is reducing its COVID-19 alert level in about half of the country's states amid a drop in infections and hospitalizations in many places, including the capital.

Mexico City announced that starting next week gyms, indoor swimming pools and churches will be allowed to open and restaurants will be able to operate outdoors until 10 p.m. Mexico's capital let shopping malls partially reopen this week.

"The epidemic continues but it is, at least at the moment, heading downward," said the federal government's spokesperson on the pandemic, Hugo López-Gatell. "Vaccination is going forward; let's continue calmly and optimistically but with prudence and discipline."

The new coronavirus figures, however, do not show so much reason for euphoria. Mexico has 1.9 million infections with at least 172,557 confirmed deaths, although authorities acknowledge the real number of deaths could be much higher. 

The government is trying to speed up the vaccination program with the authorization of two new vaccines this week and the arrival of more batches. In total, fewer than 86,000 people have been fully vaccinated in a country with 126 million inhabitants.

Mexico uses a red, orange, yellow and green level coronavirus alert system. Of the 13 states that have been at the maximum level, only two are left in red —Guanajuato and Guerrero. The only state in green is Chiapas in the country's south. 

___

MISSION, Kan. — Kansas schools would be required to offer full, in-person instruction starting March 26 under a bill that was introduced Friday.

Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson said in news release announcing the bill that students must not continue to "languish in virtual learning."

The state Department of Education recommended this week that school districts allow middle and high school students resume full-time in-person instruction if precautions are taken. Several of the state's largest districts have been offering in-person classes only part-time for middle and high-schoolers or teaching students only online.

"Kansas parents have been patient, but they have seen their children struggling and they have had enough," Masterson said. "It's time to do what is desperately needed and get Kansas kids back to school."

Marcus Baltzell, a spokesman for the Kansas National Education Association, said he hadn't yet a chance to review the bill.

But he noted: "Schools have been open since the beginning but returning to in-person instruction in a time of a pandemic should happen when it is safe to do so according to the medical experts. That has been our position all along and that will continue to be our position."

The state is currently inoculating teachers as part of its second round of vaccinations, which also extended eligibility to people ages 65 and older, prisoners and essential workers such as law enforcement officers. The second phase covers as many as 1 million of the state's 2.9 million residents.

___

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California is expanding the list of people eligible for coronavirus vaccine by another 4 to 6 million people. 

State Health Director Dr. Mark Ghaly said Friday that starting March 15 severely disabled people and those with health conditions that put them at high risk can get in line for shots.

Among those included are people with certain cancer, heart, lung and kidney conditions, as well as pregnant women, those with Down syndrome, organ transplant recipients and the severely obese. 

California has been plagued by vaccine shortages and Ghaly acknowledged he's not sure how long it will take for the federal supply of shots to meet demand.

___

HELENA, Mont. -- A fifth Montana lawmaker has tested positive for COVID-19 during this year's session. 

The House Republicans announced that GOP Rep. Ross Fitzgerald of Fairfield received positive results Friday and gave permission for his name to be released. 

COVID-19 panel chair Sen. Jason Ellsworth says Fitzgerald was a close contact of another lawmaker who previously tested positive for the virus. Two other GOP lawmakers tested positive this week. 

Fitzgerald was last in the Capitol on Feb. 5. Contact tracing is ongoing.

___

PORTLAND, Ore. - In Oregon the number of people receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and the amount of doses being shipped to the state have increased, however multiple vaccine locations were forced to close Friday and Saturday due to snowy and icy weather.

In addition, officials from the Oregon Health Authority reported Friday that there are four "breakthrough cases" in the state — people who tested positive for coronavirus at least 14 days after completing their vaccination series. The illness in these individuals range from asymptomatic to mild. 

Officials said that studies show that the vaccine may help reduce the severity of the illness. 

"What all this means is that we can expect to see more breakthrough cases," Dean Sidelinger, the health authority's state health officer, said. "Getting as many Oregonians as possible vaccinated remains a critical objective to ending the pandemic."

Health officials announced Friday that Oregon's weekly allocation of first doses is again increasing, from 75,000 to 82,000. 

___

The Pentagon has approved the deployment of 20 more military vaccination teams that will be prepared to go out to communities around the country, putting the department on pace to deploy as many as 19,000 troops if the 100 planned teams are realized. The troop number is almost double what federal authorities initially thought would be needed.

Chief Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Friday that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's latest approval brings the number of COVID-19 vaccination teams so far authorized to 25, with a total of roughly 4,700 service members. He said the teams, which largely involve active duty forces, are being approved in a phased approach, based on the needs of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The Pentagon first received the original request from FEMA in late January, for 100 vaccination teams with a total of 10,000 troops. Kirby said only one team has been deployed so far because it is a complicated process that requires coordination with local and state authorities to identify the right locations and determine the infrastructure and support that is needed. He said it takes time to set each site up correctly.

___

CARSON CITY, Nev. — A pandemic relief fund for small businesses in Nevada will double in size from $51 million to $101 million after Nevada's governor signed a bill to add federal dollars to the fund. Democrat Steve Sisolak signed legislation on Friday, fulfilling a priority he committed to in January to help small businesses trying to stay afloat amid the pandemic. The bill won unanimous approval from lawmakers from both parties. 

The Pandemic Emergency Technical Support fund has provided grants to 4,600 businesses for help with expenses like payroll and rent and expects to be able to provide roughly 9,000 in total with the supplementary funds.

___

SANTA FE, N.M. — New Mexico education officials are asking for permission to waive standardized testing for the second year, citing the difficulties of the pandemic. The New Mexico Public Education Department says it will encourage school districts to voluntarily administer tests that cover reading, math and science comprehension. The department acknowledges that a volunteer-based assessment might not allow for a scientific sample of students. 

Legislative researchers have called on the department to assess students as soon as possible, saying policymakers need to know how students are doing. In a report last fall, they estimated students had lost three to 12 months of learning over the summer.

___

MONTPELIER, Vt. — Vermont officials say the next age group in the state eligible for coronavirus vaccinations — people 70 and older —may start registering for required vaccine appointments next week.

Appointments can be made starting Tuesday morning on the Health Department's website, which is encouraged, or by calling 855-722-7878. Officials say while the registration period doesn't open until next week, people who plan to register online can create an account online ahead of time.

Vermonters aged 75 and older and health care workers can still get vaccines.

___

WASHINGTON — The nation's top public health agency has released a roadmap for reopening US schools in the middle of a pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is emphasizing mask wearing and social distancing. It says vaccination of teachers is important but not a prerequisite for reopening. 

CDC officials say there is strong evidence in-person schooling can be done safely, especially at lower grade levels, and the guidance is targeted at schools that teach kindergarten up to 12th grade.

The agency also emphasized hand washing, disinfection of school facilities, diagnostic testing and contact tracing to find new infections and separate infected people. The CDC stressed the safest way to open schools is by making sure there is as little disease in a community as possible.

President Joe Biden wants most schools back to in-person teaching by the end of his first 100 days in office. The White House said this week a national strategy would be guided by science.