The Malaysian Insight

THERE is merit in vaccinating children under the age of 12 against Covid-19, because it will protect them when they go to school, health experts said.

They said parents should get their vaccine information from reliable sources and urged the Ministry of Health to also prepare this information so that it is easily accessible.

Parent groups have raised concerns that children who are not vaccinated will be subject to discrimination.

Consultant paediatrician Dr Amar Singh HSS said parents must realise that vaccinating their children will allow them to return to school safely.

While it is understandable that parents are worried about potential side effects, Amar said they should turn to reliable channels for information and consult a doctor before making a decision.

“Not all doctors know about vaccines. If parents are still worried, they can go to a vaccination centre and consult the doctors stationed there on what is best,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Amar urged parents to refer to the US Centre of Disease Control, Public Health England and the MOH for credible data.

The benefit of the vaccine also outweighs the risk of infection, he said.

“The longer the virus stays in the body, the more damage it will do to the organs,” Amar said.

“For children with low immunity and individuals in high-risk groups, the decision on whether to get vaccinated can be made after expert evaluation.”

He also said the drive to get children vaccinated is the government’s way of encouraging safety at school.

“Schools are a unique place as 90% of the adults have been vaccinated but 90% of the students between ages of five and 11 have not.”

This all means that children may be susceptible to infections in school. According to studies, the chances of primary school-age children suffering from major vaccine side effects are low.

Amar says he is optimistic this will encourage parents to vaccinate their children.

“There is very little information on Sinovac’s side-effects, only Pfizer’s data is comprehensive.

“Hopefully Sinovac will provide more information.”

On January 6, the Ministry of Health approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages five to 11.

Health minister Khairy Jamaluddin said appointments for children would be opened from January 31 in the Klang Valley.

The vaccine will be administered in an eight-week interval, which reduces the risk of myocarditis among children, he said.

To date, 97.9% of adults have been vaccinated, as have 88.3% of adolescents.

Release clear and concise data

Meanwhile, former deputy health minister Lee Boon Chye urged the MOH to collect more data to help parents understand.

“I understand parent’s concerns because there may be other side effects and concerns on how it will affect children in the long term. The MOH must address this.”

The goal of vaccination is to achieve herd immunity and protect people.

“The first goal is not achievable as the vaccine will not stop the infection completely.

“Some countries are even considering a fourth Pfizer booster dose because it may not provide protection against the Omicron variant.”

It is important for parents to weigh the pros and cons in making their decision, Lee said.

Don’t discriminate against unvaccinated children

Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia (PAGE) chairman Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said the infection rate and prevalence of serious illness remain low in children but schools must continue to be vigilant.

“Prior to Omicron the rate of infection among children was 0.026%, which appears small.

“However, in terms of absolute numbers it runs in the tens of thousands. Most children have it mild.

“There are a few exceptions where usually children with comorbidities have serious effects. With Omicron it has become more infectious than ever.

“(Therefore) schools have to continue to be vigilant. Conduct more outdoor classes and activities,” she said.

Azimah also said unvaccinated children should not be subject to discrimination.

“Parental choice should be respected.

“In the UK, there is still no green light for under 12s to be vaccinated even with a lower dose. Even though there are benefits to be gained from being vaccinated, the ‘margin of benefit is too small’.”

Talk to children about vaccine

Social and emotional learning specialist Alice Lee encouraged parents to speak to their children about the vaccines.

Lee said parents can refer to Unicef for more information and start by explaining the potential side effects from the vaccine.

“Some children are afraid of needles, parents can try rewarding their children to encourage them or tell them that after vaccination, they can go to school, meet their friends and even go to the playground.”

Parents should also tell their children to speak up if they are in any discomfort.

Lee said it is also understandable why parents are apprehensive that there are not enough studies on the effects of the vaccine on children.

“They are also under pressure to make the right choices. Their anxiety can make children uneasy too.”

Parents should also reach a consensus on whether or not to disclose vaccination information to the schools to avoid discrimination. – January 25, 2022.