Researchers will test vaccinating young children against covid-19.
The purpose is not only to protect against the viral disease, but it is also hoped to be able to save some children from getting type 1 diabetes, which the researchers believe can be triggered by the coronavirus.
More and more young children are getting type 1 diabetes.
It is not known for sure why, but one theory is that it is due to the corona pandemic.
Some children carry disease genes and when they are affected by a virus such as covid-19, their immune system can react in a different way.
Will vaccinate 1,000 small children
Therefore, a new international research study has been launched in which they will test vaccinating 1,000 young children against covid-19.
– When we followed children with an increased hereditary risk of diabetes type 1, we saw that some children who got covid at the age of 12 to 18 months then developed this autoimmunity which eventually causes diabetes type 1, says Helena Elding who is a professor of autoimmune diseases at Lund University and who is working on the study.
– If it is the case that covid can trigger autoimmunity in some children, then maybe we can protect those children from getting this autoimmunity, and that is positive.