Recently, on the basis of continuing to vaccinate people over the age of 12, various regions across the country have successively started vaccination against the new coronavirus for people aged 3 to 11 years old. Is it necessary to vaccinate children? What precautions should be taken when children receive the COVID-19 vaccine? Wang Zhiguo, deputy director and chief physician of the Institute of Immunization Planning of the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, answered questions that netizens were concerned about.
Children are susceptible to COVID-19. In crowded places such as kindergartens and primary schools, once an epidemic of COVID-19 occurs, it is easy to cause local spread. The best way to prevent COVID-19 is to get vaccinated. Carrying out COVID-19 vaccination for children is an important measure to block the spread of the virus and is conducive to further building an immune barrier for the entire population.
In accordance with the principles of informed consent and voluntariness, all children aged 3-11 years old without contraindications in the province will be "received", striving to complete the first dose of vaccination before November 20, 2021, and complete the full vaccination before the end of December. Children’s COVID-19 vaccination is also free for residents.
Children should be vaccinated against the COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days apart from other vaccines, and priority should be given to the national immunization program vaccines. However, if you encounter injuries from animals or other trauma, and you need emergency vaccination of rabies vaccine, tetanus vaccine, and immune globulin, the interval between vaccination with the new coronavirus vaccine does not need to be considered.
Guardians should fully understand the contraindications to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Children who are allergic to the components of the COVID-19 vaccine, have uncontrolled epilepsy, or have other serious neurological diseases should not be vaccinated. Caution should also be considered if severe allergic reactions have occurred during previous vaccinations. If your child suffers from a chronic disease such as asthma and takes medicine for a long time, you must explain the situation to the doctor and ask the doctor for evaluation.
html Children aged 3-11 years old have limited expressive abilities. Before vaccination, guardians must pay close attention to their physical condition and truthfully inform the doctor whether the child has any contraindications. If your child has recently been feeling unwell, in low spirits, or has severe allergies, it is recommended to postpone the vaccination until he is healthy.When children receive the COVID-19 vaccine, their guardians must accompany them throughout the process. Before departure, guardians should learn about the COVID-19 vaccination in advance to prevent their children from being hungry and tired. If the children are unwell, vaccination should be postponed. Also, dress your child in loose-fitting clothing to facilitate vaccination. After arriving at the vaccination clinic, guardians should cooperate with the staff in taking temperature and code verification and other epidemic prevention and control measures. Guardians should fully understand the contents of the "Informed Consent Form for COVID-19 Vaccination", accept health inquiries and informed notifications, and truthfully inform the doctor about the child's health status. Vaccination can only be done after a doctor's evaluation and the guardian's signed informed consent.
