COVID-19 Disease in Under-5 Children: Current Status and Strategies for Prevention including Vaccination
, Anuja Nayak 3, Deepika Tiwari 1, Pratichi Kadam Pillai 1, Aakash Pandita 4, Sachin Sakharkar 1, Haribalakrishna Balasubramanian 1 and Nandkishor Kabra 1
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The manuscript titled "COVID-19 disease in Under-5 Children: Current Status and Strategies for Prevention including Vaccination" is a very interesting, well structured, clear and comprehensive review relevant for the field "Challenges and Future Trends of COVID-19 Vacination“. The article is well written and easy to understand. The authors have done a very good work of synthesizing the recent literature outlining current evidence and guidelines, highlighting controversies, knowledge gaps and ethical issues related to COVID-19 vaccination in young children and neonates. Overall, I strongly suggest this manuscript to be accepted for publishing in its present form.
Minor corrections/suggestions for improving this excellent paper:
a) Line 22, replace the word number with the word proportion
b) Line 88, rephrase d) strategies for preventing perinatal COVID-19
c) Line 89, add in neonates and children
d) Line 124, replace the word number with the word proportion
e) Line 136, rephrase “This difference in epidemiologic patterns could be possibly related to….”
f) Line 247, please provide a reference
g) Line 261, please provide a reference
h) I am not convinced that Figure 2 adds something crucial to the manuscript.
i) Line 280, replace the word swift with the word urgent
j) Line 292, move the parenthesis (apart from vaccination) after the word strategies in line 291
k) Table 2, strategy: breastfeeding, Evidence column, first bullet point: please provide a reference
l) Line 390, rephrase, 2 doses of mRNA vaccine
m) Lines 390-391, delete %, (95% CI = 78-97)
n) Line 391, rephrase: In a large observational study……
o) Line 477-478, delete “variants of concern” and leave only (VOC)
Author Response
We thank the reviewer for comprehensively reviewing our manuscript and providing a detailed and constructive feedback. We have replied to all suggestions in a structured, point-by-point manner.
- a) Line 22, replace the word number with the word proportion
Response: We have replaced the word number with proportion
- b) Line 88, rephrase d) strategies for preventing perinatal COVID-19
Response: We have rephrased the line 88 as per suggestion
- c) Line 89, add in neonates and children
Response: We have edited the line as per suggestion
- d) Line 124, replace the word number with the word proportion
Response: Rephrased the line as “no increase in mortality or proportion of babies needing mechanical ventilation”
- e) Line 136, rephrase “This difference in epidemiologic patterns could be possibly related to….”
Response: We have made the change as proposed
- f) Line 247, please provide a reference
Response: We have added the relevant reference
- g) Line 261, please provide a reference
Response: We have added references for the same
- h) I am not convinced that Figure 2adds something crucial to the manuscript.
Response: Figure 2 was added for residents and trainees to understand which components of immune system are immature in newborn babies. However, we have removed it from the manuscript as suggested.
- i) Line 280, replace the word swift with the word urgent
Response: We have done the needful
- j) Line 292, move the parenthesis (apart from vaccination)after the word strategies in line 291
Response: We have moved the parenthesis “apart from vaccination” as per your suggestion
- k) Table 2, strategy: breastfeeding, Evidence column, first bullet point: please provide a reference
Response: We have added the reference to the proposed line
- l) Line 390, rephrase, 2 doses of mRNA vaccine
Response: We have rephrased the above line
- m) Lines 390-391, delete %, (95% CI = 78-97)
Response: We have deleted the %, (95% CI= 78-97)
- n) Line 391, rephrase: In a large observational study……
Response: We have done the needful
- o) Line 477-478, delete “variants of concern” and leave only (VOC)
Response: We have deleted “variants of concern”
We have also made English language edits to improve the readability of the manuscript.
Reviewer 2 Report
I find the article submitted for review on the strategy for prevention of COVID-19 disease in children interesting. The review is comprehensive with extensive and updated bibliographic references.
The general structure of the paper seems to me adequate. I think the images should be improved as they are distorted. Some of them could be eliminated as they contribute little (Figure 2 and 3). Also the tables should be improved to make them easier to read.
As a whole the article is adequate and with modifications it could be reevaluated.
Author Response
We thank the reviewer for the constructive feedback. We have read the suggestions in detail and have made changes to improve the manuscript.
Point 1: I think the images should be improved as they are distorted. Some of them could be eliminated as they contribute little (Figure 2 and 3).
Response 1: We have removed the Figure 2 (immature immune system) as suggested by the reviewer. We have retained the other Figures as it may be of interest to residents/trainees. We have improved the quality of the remaining figures to meet journal requirements.
Point 2: Also, the tables should be improved to make them easier to read.
Response 2: We have edited the tables 1 and 2 to make it more readable. The modified tables provide a crisp summary of the text for the readers
We have also made multiple minor English language edits to improve the readability of the manuscript.
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
I have reviewed the revised article in its new version. The authors have improved it, responding to the suggestions made by the reviewers. I consider that with the current version, it could be published in the journal.
