Childhood vaccine yes, child vaccine no?

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This week childhood vaccination against the coronavirus has begun in the five to eleven age group.

And it has done so involved in a certain controversy, accompanied by viral videos and even demonstrations against the vaccine that are really more contagious than the virus itself and that have sown mistrust in many parents.

Doubting and asking is healthy, reasonable, and desirable.

Distrust is dangerous.

There is only one way to combat fear and that is through information, so these are the answers with the evidence that we have so far to the most frequently asked questions about childhood vaccination against coronavirus.

Why do we vaccinate children if there are still many unvaccinated adults?

This is the one million question. Since "first pandemic" experts have been warning about the importance of global vaccination in adults, including countries without resources, to stop the circulation of the virus and prevent mutations such as those that have taken place in India or recently South Africa. Unfortunately this is not happening but, no matter how much it may be,

change this situation.

If I do not vaccinate my two children, those two vaccines, or the financial effort allocated to these vaccines, will not go to vaccinate adults in Tanzania.

If I decide not to vaccinate my children, it is possible that those two doses end up expiring, as we know that some adult doses have already expired here in Spain.

Not giving priority to global vaccination is something unfair, selfish even with ourselves, but unfortunately they are parallel paths and by vaccinating children we are not "taking away" from adults.

Do children really infect?

In some demonstrations they have worn banners in which it could be read that children "only spread joy." Without demonizing children, this statement is flatly false: children are capable of transmitting this virus just as they transmit other viruses or bacteria. It is true that the data suggest that the majority of childhood cases appear to be secondary to cases of infection in adults. That is, it

and that the adult transmits it to the child ... but once the child is infected, it is capable of transmitting the virus.

Do children infect less than adults?

It is unknown in what percentage this could occur, in any case it will also depend on the viral load and the stage of infection of the child and adult, but from the moment in which the possibility of contagion exists, it is interesting to stop transmission.

Are we vaccinating children just to protect adults?

Are we using the children as a shield?

No, "sacrificing" children in favor of adults would be unethical.

It is true that the individual benefits of this vaccine are greater for adults since in children the disease is mostly mild or asymptomatic and severe cases are very rare.

However, it is not just about vaccinating to protect adults.

In addition to preventing "children from infecting grandpa", stopping transmission in children, and even more so now that it is triggered, it has two advantages for them that are little talked about:

1.

By vaccinating children and having less circulation of the virus, we limit the possibility that the virus mutates and new variants resistant to vaccines appear.

This indirectly is also good for children.

2.

By vaccinating children and having fewer infections, we will also indirectly ensure that they have a more normal life, something very desirable for mental health.

The social benefit is not only for adults: stopping the transmission also benefits the social life of children (to celebrate birthdays again, to travel, to visit relatives at risk, etc.).

Let's not forget the academic benefit since we are all witnessing the difficulties caused by contagions and confinements in the school environment.

In short, ending the pandemic as soon as possible is something that interests us all.

Are vaccines effective for children?

Yes, and this is the number 1 condition for administering a vaccine.

Clinical trials have been conducted in which childhood vaccines against coronavirus have been shown to be effective.

The World Health Organization also affirms that vaccinating children is beneficial, although, yes, it clarifies that it

, only two out of every 100,000 infected.

The problems associated with the coronavirus of most concern in children are pediatric multisystemic inflammatory syndrome (SIMP) and persistent COVID-19 syndrome, but the latter seems less frequent than in adults.

What is pediatric multisystemic inflammatory syndrome (SIMP)?

It is a condition in which different parts of the body can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs.

We don't know the cause yet, but we do know that many children with SIMP had the coronavirus or have been around someone with COVID-19.

This syndrome can be serious, even fatal, although most diagnosed children have improved with medical care.

What is "persistent" COVID-19 "in children?

It is a condition with very varied symptoms that can last up to 15 weeks after having suffered the infection and that has nothing to do with whether the infection has been more or less serious.

It can occur in 2-14% of children who have suffered from the infection and is more common in adolescence.

More research is needed on this issue, but one of the benefits of vaccinating children would be to protect them from this possibility.

Many parents say: "I had no doubts about getting vaccinated, but for my children ... it scares me."

Are vaccines safe?

Yes, vaccines are safe but, with the one you are falling for, parental fear is completely understandable. Studies indicate that these vaccines are safe and well tolerated in children under 12, and no serious adverse side effects have been found in clinical trials.

Some potentially serious adverse events, such as anaphylaxis and perimyocarditis, have been found in post-marketing studies but they are very rare (less than 1 in 10,000) and the vast majority have done well with little treatment.

Protocols and recommendations have been proposed to detect and treat these possible side effects and the risk / benefit assessment of vaccination remains in favor of vaccination.

Also, in case anyone is reassured, we are not top of the class.

In the USA, more than 5.5 million doses have been inoculated and so far only 8 myocarditis have been reported, all with good evolution.

CONCLUSION: Childhood vaccine yes or no?

In general, vaccinating children is effective and safe, although, as the WHO says, less urgent than in other areas.

For this reason I think it is important to consider these three circumstances:

First

: not all children are the same.

Although currently vaccination is indicated for all children, in those who are at risk (immunocompromised, obesity) vaccination is especially important.

Second

: not all family environments are the same.

If there are risky relatives in the child's home (an immunocompromised brother, an older grandparent) it can also be especially interesting for children to be vaccinated.

Third

: not all epidemiological moments are the same.

Right now, the group with the highest incidence is precisely those under the age of twelve with almost 700 cases per 100,000. This band is the "target group" with which the virus is especially priming itself.

As we have commented, it is very normal and even healthy and necessary that there are doubts on the part of the parents.

Therefore, my advice is that those who are not entirely clear look for rigorous information in official sources and speak with their pediatrician to assess each case individually.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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