LETTER | Covid-19 vaccines for children

LETTER | Children’s safety is crucial and essential.

They must be protected from the dreaded Covid-19 virus before they return for face to face classes in schools. 

The US' Centres for Disease and Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that every 12-year-old and older should get a covid vaccination to help protect against Covid. 

Widespread vaccination is a critical tool to help stop the pandemic. 

Early information indicates that vaccines keep people from spreading Covid-19 to others. 

Vaccines can help children from getting seriously sick even if they do get the virus.

In May 2021, the then health minister had reported that 82,341 infants and children had tested positive for Covid-19. Giving a breakdown of the numbers, he indicated that 19,851 cases were children below the age of four while 8,237 cases were aged five to six.

Currently, the primary vaccination companies are undertaking field trials for children below 12 years and even for those as young as six months old. Results will soon be forthcoming. 

The companies are determining the safety and efficacy of vaccines for children aged two to 11.

It is thus strongly recommended that all children above 12 years receive their vaccines before they start attending face to face classes. Vaccines for children above 12 years are already available.

Further, as soon as vaccines for those below 12 are available then all children below 12 should be given vaccines before they begin to attend classes. 

It is expected that these vaccines would be available in September or October this year.

It is highly recommended that all children be vaccinated before they return to schools for their own safety as well as safety for all children. They deserve to be safe from the Covid-19 virus before classes begin.

It is thus suggested that classes begin in 2022 after all children are vaccinated.

Of course, there will be an argument that they will miss their classes this year and thus be left behind. 

Firstly, education is important but health and safety are far more important.

To make up for the “lost” of education classes in 2021, it is further suggested that classes be held next year without the long holidays. 

That means there would only be no classes for weekends, festive seasons and other national public holidays. 

Children can to some extent make up for a lost time during the year.

To reaffirm, children’s health and safety are critical. They should be given the highest priority by policymakers.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.