Can the vaccine later cause unexpected side effects? Why do you need the consent of both carers to get vaccinated? THL’s expert doctor answers questions from HS readers.
Junior Coronary immunizations have begun, and many families are now considering whether a child between the ages of 5 and 11 should be vaccinated. Helsinki will start coronation vaccination of 1st-5th grade students in schools next week.
Can the vaccine later cause unexpected side effects? And why does the consent of both guardians be needed to vaccinate a child if the child is not mature enough to decide?
Other Among other things, these issues preoccupied readers when Helsingin Sanomat asked readers to ask questions about children’s vaccinations. More than 650 readers asked questions.
The most frequently asked questions are answered by THL’s expert doctor at the Department of Health and Welfare Anniina Virkku.
1. How does the vaccine help me? (The questioner is an 11-year-old girl).
The vaccine provides good protection against coronary heart disease, especially severe coronary heart disease.
2. Why should children be vaccinated if Korona is usually mild in children and vaccination only prevents serious illness?
It is a good idea to give your child a coronary vaccine because sometimes children can get serious coronary heart disease. In addition, vaccination of a child can provide some protection for, for example, a person at risk or a person who is severely immunocompromised.
A serious illness is very rare in children aged 5 to 11 years, and therefore THL offers them the opportunity to be vaccinated, meaning that the recommendation is not quite as strong as in those aged 12 years or older.
However, vaccination is strongly recommended for those 5 to 11 years of age with a medical risk factor. Coronary heart disease can also worsen the underlying disease.
3. Should vaccination be given if the child is in basic health and there is no person at risk in the immediate vicinity?
Vaccination benefits a child, even if he or she is in basic health. However, the THL recommendation is not as strong in 5–11-year-olds as in 12-year-olds and adults because the risk of serious illness is lower in younger people.
It should also be borne in mind that vaccinations for 5 to 11-year-olds are not compulsory but voluntary in all situations. All 5-11 year olds should be treated in the same way in society, regardless of whether they have received a coroner vaccination.
4. What are the main benefits of vaccinating children – does vaccination protect the child or others?
The vaccine primarily protects the child. In addition, vaccinations may provide additional protection for, for example, the elderly or those at risk. Unfortunately, for omicronvirus, the vaccine is less effective in protecting against infection and is not enough to block the chains of infection without other protective measures.
Children 5 to 11 years of age will receive a lower dose of Biontech-Pfizer mRNA vaccine. Its protection against omicron after two doses is weaker than against the delta variant. However, protection against severe omicron-induced disease is better than protection against infection or mild disease.
5. What are the most common side effects of vaccination in children?
A pre-marketing study of the pediatric vaccine showed that most of the side effects of the vaccine were mild and transient. Disorders included redness and swelling at the injection site, fever and headache, and tiredness, muscle aches and chills.
No serious adverse events such as myocarditis, pericarditis or anaphylaxis were observed in 5-11 year olds. It was not possible to detect any possible rare side effects in the study due to the limited number of people studied.
In the United States, several million doses of vaccine have already been given to 5- to 11-year-olds, and safety concerns have not revealed any safety concerns specifically for this age group. Myocarditis has been reported in 5 to 11 year olds in the United States in one million vaccinated 5 to 11 year olds.
6. What are the most common side effects of coronary heart disease in children?
Coronary heart disease can cause a wide range of harm to children and adolescents. Following coronavirus infection, a severe generalized inflammatory reaction called multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children i.e., MIS-C. After myocardial infection, myocarditis has also been observed in children.
In many countries, there are reports that some children and adolescents with coronary artery disease have experienced long-term symptoms associated with long-term covidia, such as prolonged tiredness, shortness of breath, palpitations, difficulty concentrating, dizziness, weakness and weakness, difficulty sleeping, and joint pain.
7. How common is long covid in children? Does the vaccine prevent long covidia?
According to current data, it appears that long covidia is significantly less common in children than in adults and that children recover better from the disease than adults.
On the other hand, data on long-term childhood in children are still incomplete and it is difficult to compare the situation between countries. In addition, there have been very few studies in which there has been a comparison group in addition to children with coronary heart disease.
THL has also sought to clarify the matter. So far, it seems that the use of children’s health services in Finland after a coronavirus infection has not increased.
8. How quickly does the protection provided by the vaccine develop and is there any benefit from the first dose? Many seem to think it is too late to get vaccinated.
It is not too late to get vaccinated. The body’s defense system is activated immediately after vaccination. The development of protective effect after the first dose with mRNA vaccines takes less than two weeks. After the second dose, protection is more effective, in about a week.
9. Although I am in favor of vaccination, I notice that there is a fear in the back of my head that it is the same as with the swine flu vaccine: A serious symptom like narcolepsy appears that does not appear in international studies because the gene trait to it is typical in Finland. Is my fear futile?
I do not think there is any reason for fear. It will soon be two years since the first corona vaccines were given. In addition, vaccines have been researched and developed for several years before the coronavirus pandemic, so information on vaccines has been available since the introduction of coronary vaccines.
There is already worldwide experience with billions of doses of vaccine given, and safety monitoring has shown no concern for long-term side effects.
Corona vaccines have not been shown to cause serious side effects during the months following vaccination. Experience has shown that the majority of adverse reactions to vaccines occur within six weeks of vaccination.
The safety of coronary vaccines is constantly monitored both in Finland and internationally.
10. Why do vaccinations require the consent of both parents, unlike influenza vaccinations, for example?
The requirement for the consent of both guardians is based on the law. If it is assessed that the minor is not able to decide on his or her own vaccination, the consent of the guardians will be required for vaccination.
Because coronation vaccinations evoke feelings and opinions from side to side, we have wanted to emphasize this decision-making issue.
If the vaccineer considers that the minor is able to decide on his or her own vaccination, the consent of the guardians is not required, but the child or young person is free to make the decision on vaccination. However, the level of development of most 5-11 year olds is usually not yet sufficient for independent decision-making.
11. If your child has already suffered from a corona, when should the vaccine be taken, or should it be taken at all?
For a child with Corona, one dose of the vaccine is recommended about 6 months after the illness. The vaccine then enhances the protection provided by the disease in the same way that the second dose of the vaccine enhances the protection provided by the first dose in those who have not had the disease.
12. Does it hurt if a child has an asymptomatic corona at the time of vaccination?
No. It is not dangerous for a child to have asymptomatic asymptomatic coronary heart disease at the time of vaccination.
13. Some adults have experienced that coronary vaccinations have affected the menstrual cycle. Can vaccines harm a girl’s hormonal function?
The lining of the uterus is part of the body’s immune system, and therefore a vaccine or infection can cause the mucous membranes to come off.
Menstrual disorders may be related to the immune response to the vaccine, but studies have shown that they go away in a month or two. No effects on hormonal function or fertility have been observed with the vaccine.
14. Does vaccination avoid quarantine if another child is diagnosed with an infection in kindergarten or school?
We cannot answer this, as quarantines are decided by a local infectious disease doctor. It is worth following national and local communications.
15. My child will soon be 12 years old. Should he take a lower dose now or wait for a bigger dose for 12-year-olds?
Vaccination of a child should not be delayed. An 11-year-old gets good protection against coronary heart disease from a lower dose. If the child is 12 years old between vaccinations, the second dose is given to those who are 12 years old or older.
16. If a child has had severe reactions to other vaccines in the vaccination program, can this be expected to happen with a coronary vaccine?
Based on the reactions that have occurred in previous vaccinations, it is not possible to predict what reactions will occur after other vaccinations.
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