Pediatrician: children need to be vaccinated to overcome the pandemic

Vaccinations against COVID-19 in children aged 5 to 11 are scheduled to begin on December 16. – In order to overcome the pandemic, vaccination of children against COVID-19 is even necessary – says in an interview with PAP the president of the Polish Pediatric Society, Prof. Jarosław Peregud-Pogorzelski, head of the Department of Paediatrics, Oncology and Pediatric Immunology of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. It also ensures that childhood vaccinations are safe.

1.  From December 16, we will want to start vaccinating children, said Minister of Health Adam Niedzielski recently. Registration for vaccinations will start on Tuesday
2. These vaccinations are safe for children. Before introducing a new vaccine, clinical trials are conducted on large groups of patients, which must confirm their effectiveness and safety, says Prof. Jarosław Peregud-Pogorzelski
3. I expect, because advanced clinical trials are underway, that in some time even younger children from 6 months of age will be vaccinated – adds the pediatrician
4. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Coronavirus. Children are spreaders of infection

PAP: Vaccinations against COVID-19 in children aged 5 to 11 are scheduled to start on December 16. As a pediatrician, you recommend that parents vaccinate their children?

Prof. Jarosław Peregud-Pogorzelski: Of course you are, I recommend vaccinating children. I believe that the larger the population is vaccinated, the better, especially since children are significant carriers of these infections. Most of them suffer from asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic diseases, but recently also children have more and more severe COVID-19 courses. It should also be remembered that there are permanent complications in children in the form of PIMS.

Is the position of the Polish Pediatric Society also the same regarding vaccination against COVID-19 in children?

Yes, of course, the position of the Polish Pediatric Society on this matter is clear that children aged 5-11 should be vaccinated. I expect, because advanced clinical trials are underway, that in some time even younger children from 6 months of age will be vaccinated. Vaccination against COVID-19 is carried out in children somewhat differently. Especially in those under the age of 12, the doses are lower. However, this is enough to induce adequate immunity.

Will we not overcome the pandemic without vaccinating children?

We all know that vaccinating children against COVID-19 can reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, the second effect of these vaccinations is that in the case of infection, the course of the disease is milder than in unvaccinated patients, and also protects against its severe course.

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But how do you convince parents to vaccinate their children? In our country, even many adults have not been vaccinated yet, we only have a little over 60 percent. vaccinated adults.

It will certainly be difficult, because part of our society is against vaccination. However, we must remember that if there were no universal compulsory vaccinations, we would have many infectious diseases for which, fortunately, vaccines are available. However, some people do not get it, unless they get sick themselves and then their thinking changes, unfortunately it is usually too late to be cured.

So what can be done to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19, including children?

Much depends on the decision makers. We value freedom very much in our country, but in this case we are at stake for freedom and life. We must therefore answer the question of what is more important in this case. Freedom must have its limits and we must always exercise moderation, weigh what is most important to us. For me, life is undoubtedly more important, and if so, I believe that we should get vaccinated, because only vaccination increases our chances of survival in a pandemic.

We have a fourth wave of infections and another rise in cases, hospitals filling up, and intensive care units in them.

Yes, it is most evident right now during the fourth wave of the pandemic, as not all have been vaccinated, although it is possible. We ourselves contribute to the excess mortality of Poles. Those who might be alive are dying if they had only benefited from the COVID-19 vaccination. It must be remembered that the freedom we follow may limit the freedom of other people. We only think about our own freedom, not the freedom of others. By deciding not to get vaccinated, I increase my likelihood of getting COVID 19 and thus limit access to treatment for other patients who require emergency medical care. This applies in particular to patients suffering from cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Every year, neoplastic diseases are detected in 160 thousand. Poles who often see a doctor late during a pandemic and for this reason some of them have to die prematurely. We are not in the desert, we have other people around us and we have to think about the general good. If the mentality of our society does not change, it will be more difficult to overcome the pandemic.

Vaccinating children against COVID-19 is safe

Do you think that in this situation, mandatory universal vaccination against COVID-19 should be introduced?

If we have such a high mortality in our country, the introduction of compulsory vaccinations should be considered. Only for a limited time, of course, until the pandemic begins to fade away. It has been going on for the second year and it cannot be ruled out that it will last for the third year. SARS-CoV-2 virus is constantly changing, new variants with different infectivity and virulence appear. Policymakers should take greater account of the recommendations of the Medical Council’s COVID-19 experts at prime minister.

Parents may, however, be concerned that the COVID-19 vaccination is completely safe for their children. They must be assured of this.

These vaccinations are safe for children. Before introducing a new vaccine, clinical trials are carried out on large groups of patients, which must confirm their effectiveness and safety. So if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the vaccine, it has been tested on a large population. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is doing the same.

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Some people are concerned about the side effects of vaccinations.

There can always be some side effects of the vaccines and medications used. They can be more or less onerous. This should always be taken into account. We can never have 100 percent. certainty that with any treatment, such symptoms do not appear. It is simply impossible. The reaction of each organism may be different, this is due to the different immune system and the genetic profile presented by a given person. However, if we consider the advantages and disadvantages of a given preparation, we always choose what is more beneficial for the patient. In the case of vaccination against COVID-19, the benefits are clearly outweighed, as confirmed by clinical studies conducted on large groups of patients.

What effects are we talking about?

The COVID-19 vaccines, as I mentioned, reduce the spread of the virus and the disease is milder. In contrast, complications after vaccination are usually trivial, such as a crash, muscle aches or a slight fever. So they are similar to those after other vaccines. Symptoms are caused by an immune response and manifest differently for everyone. Everyone reacts a bit differently because their immune system is constructed differently.

Is vaccination against COVID-19 also necessary in children?

The benefits of vaccination against COVID-19 are enormous, based on studies conducted so far in the best centers around the world. Therefore, it is worth getting vaccinated and you should not be afraid of these vaccinations. We will not come up with anything else. If we do not get vaccinated, we will have to deal with the coronavirus, which will not be so easy. In my opinion it will be more difficult. We must aim to immunize our population to 90%, and vaccinate children as well, thus limiting the spread of the pandemic. For now, the vaccination coverage in our country is very low. (PAP)

Interviewed by Zbigniew Wojtasiński (PAP).

Also read:

1. Symptoms of Omikron infection. What do we know at the moment?
2. Infections and deaths among vaccinated. How many cases have there been?
3. Can Omicron bypass Pfizer protection? There is a new WHO study and position
4. Scientists concerned. They discovered an “invisible” version of the Omicron
5. Will the new restrictions improve the epidemic situation in Poland? The virologist answers

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