Teens can now get Covid jab

Parental consent not needed

TO VACCINATE or not? That is the question parents of children from the age of 12 upwards are asking, now that the youngsters are eligible for Covid-19 jabs.

Dr Joe Phaahla, the Minister of Health announced on Friday children aged between 12 and 17 will be able to get one dose of the Pfizer vaccine from Wednesday.

He said the decision was taken following recommendations from the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC).

“We believe that this will come in handy as the schools start their examinations, and for some that have already advanced towards concluding the academic year and studying to prepare for the next academic year,” he said.

Those over the age of 18 get two shots of the Pfizer vaccine but the youngsters get a single jab as per recommendations from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). The SAHPRA approved the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 12 and older last month.

Concerns

Phaahla said the single dose was a precautionary measure as there were a few cases of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, in teenage boys.

“At this stage, there’s been no indication that the first dose has any serious side effects so, for now, it will be just one. But we believe it will still offer significant protection and once we get more information, we will offer the second dose.”

Research coming out of America showed there was an increase in myocarditis and pericarditis in young men and adults 16 and over after they took the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Myocarditis is the inflammation of the heart muscle, while pericarditis is the inflammation of the lining outside the heart.

The information comes from the Mayo Clinic – a non-profit organisation committed to clinical practice, education and research – based in America. According to the reports, the cases were rare and none had been linked to any deaths.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is investigating to see if there is any relationship to the Covid19 vaccination. Of the cases reported, the problem happened more often after the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and typically within several days after the Covid-19 vaccination. Most of the people who received care quickly felt better after receiving medicine and resting,” it noted.

The Mayo Clinic said symptoms to watch for included:

● Chest pain

● Shortness of breath

● Feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering or pounding heart

They said if a child experienced any of these symptoms within a week of getting a Covid-19 vaccine they should seek medical care.

SA registration and roll-out

Dr Nicholas Crisp, the acting director-general of health, said the programme would not be rolled out at schools but at vaccination sites.

However, even children as young as 12 did not need their parent’s permission to get a Covid-19 jab. According to Crisp, the Children’s Act makes provision for children aged 12 to 17 to access medical treatment without their parent's consent under certain guidelines. Parents have mixed feelings. Giren Singh of Pietermaritzburg, a father of two children aged 14 and 16, said he would take his children for a vaccination. “It is imperative that all children and teenagers should receive the vaccine. Children are in constant contact with adults whether in school or at home. They are also carriers of Covid and can be asymptomatic.

“While the chances of children not contracting the virus are not guaranteed, the vaccine is said to alleviate severe Covid symptoms, death and build herd immunity. I also believe that the vaccine will bring some normality back into our children’s lives as well as the education sector, which has been severely disrupted,” Singh said.

Michelle Naidu of Chatsworth, a mother of a 12-year-old child, said while the department of health said parental consent was not needed, it was parents who would have to deal with any side effects that may arise.

“This I fear may be too severe for a child to cope with. Many adults have spoken of the constant headaches, fever, and body aches after taking the vaccine. I don’t know if my child will be able to cope, both physically and mentally.”

Farzana Ahmed, of Berea, a mother of three children aged 11, 13, and 16, had mixed feelings.

“I am still on the fence on whether I would want my children to get the vaccine as you hear of all the side effects, some that are quite severe. However, I also want them to be protected.

“We have had many members of our extended family as well as friends who passed on due to the Covid-19. I will have to sit down with my children to find out what they want to do,” she said.

Professor Mignon McCulloch, the chairperson of the South African Paediatric Association (Sapa), said: “We think the vaccine is good for everybody. The government has done the correct thing. With the opportunity to have the vaccine, we are trying to keep them in school, trying to make sure they don’t miss exams, and we are also trying to push for the whole country to have more than 70% of the population to be vaccinated.

“We also know that the younger people have less chances of getting severe Covid and that the vaccine does prevent severe infections, hospitalisation and death,” she said.

What Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for kids?

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine emergency use authorisation for children in the 12–15-year-old age group. The FDA has also approved this vaccine, now called Comirnaty, to prevent Covid-19 in people aged 16 and older.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires two injections given 21 days apart. The second dose can be given up to six weeks after the first dose, if needed.

Research has shown that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is 100% effective in preventing Covid-19 in children aged 12 to 15. The vaccine is 91% effective in preventing severe illness with Covid19 in people aged 16 and older. Early research also suggests that the vaccine is 96% effective at preventing severe illness in Covid-19 caused by the delta variant, the most common Covid-19 variant in the US right now.

How did the FDA determine the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for use in the 12 – 15 age group?

The FDA reviewed a study of more than 2 200 US children in that age group. Of this group, about half were given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The other children were given an inactive (placebo) shot.

A week after the second dose was given, research showed no cases of Covid-19 in the 1 005 children given the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Among the 978 children given the placebo, there were 16 cases of Covid-19.

None of the children had previously been diagnosed with Covid-19. The results suggest that the vaccine is 100% effective at preventing Covid-19 in this age group.

What are the side effects of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for the 12 – 15 age group?

Children of these ages who received the Pfizer-BioNTec vaccine had side effects similar to those experienced by people aged 16 and older.

The most commonly reported side effects include:

◆ Pain where the shot was given ¡ Fatigue

◆ Headache

◆ Chills

◆ Muscle pain

◆ Fever

◆ Joint pain

Similar to adults, children have side effects that typically last 1 to 3 days. More adolescents reported these side effects, except for injection site pain, after the second dose of the vaccine.

However, many people have no side effects. After your child is given a Covid19 vaccine, they will be monitored for 15 to 30 minutes to see if they have an allergic reaction that requires treatment.

It isn’t recommended that you give your child an over-the-counter pain reliever before vaccination to prevent side effects. You may give this medication after your child gets the vaccine. | www.mayoclinic.org

◆ The Mayo Clinic is a non-profit organisation committed to clinical practice, education and research.