Vaccinating younger children has divided society, with many parents having second thoughts about whether or not to give their children the covid-19 vaccine.
The Director of the Paediatric Clinic of the Makareios Hospital which acts as a Reference Centre for the child population in Cyprus, answers why the international paediatric community recommends vaccination for 5-11 year olds.
Talking to the Cyprus Times, Dr Abraham Ilias highlights 5+1 points:
- Covid-19 disease has become so prevalent in the pediatric population, with many of the cases involving children. Although the disease is thought to be mild in the pediatric population and mortality is low, child deaths have nevertheless been observed. Over 750 have lost their lives to the disease in America, and with the opening of schools in September, 47 children were lost as a result of the spread of the disease. In Greece, 3 children have been 'wiped out' with coronavirus. Also in the occupied territories, another 2 children have lost their lives.
2. The risk is rare, but real. Schools must continue to operate unhindered. We are reminded that the possibility of school closures for a 3rd consecutive year is on the horizon, with serious implications for both education and children's mental health.
3. It has been observed that children can also transmit the virus to family, vulnerable people, and the wider community. Therefore, keeping the virus in the community for a long time increases the risk of mutations. As long as there are increased cases, future mutations are very likely.
4. The vaccine is also considered safe for the age group 5-11 years, as 1/3 of the dose used in older children or adults is administered. The reason is that their immune system is stronger and they produce a higher titer of antibodies with a smaller dose. The result is compared to the same dose given to adults.
5. As for side effects, these are insignificant. At such a small dose there are minimal side effects such as, pain and bloating at the injection site, nausea, or fever usually, but these do not last beyond 24 hours.
.The vaccine has been given to over 6 million children in the UK with no serious side effects observed. It has already been administered in Canada, Israel and as of yesterday started in many European countries, including Greece.
It is therefore considered completely safe and effective. Parents should vaccinate their children so that society can get back to normal.
6. Children are at risk of contracting multi-inflammatory syndrome mis-c. From the beginning of the pandemic in Cyprus to date, 200 children with coronavirus have been hospitalized in the Pediatric Clinic of the Makareio Hospital, which serves as a reference centre for covid in the pediatric population. Of these children, 17 were affected by the multi-inflammatory syndrome mis-c and half of them were hospitalized in the ICU, even one child was intubated.
Finally, the doctor recalled that in Cyprus about 52% of children over 12 years of age have been vaccinated with the first dose and none of them had to be hospitalized with symptoms of myocarditis.
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source
