Filenews 30 July 2021
The Paediatric Society of Cyprus at yesterday's meeting of its Board of Directors studied in detail the issue of vaccination of children over 12 years of age against Covid-19 disease and reached unanimous conclusions:
- It is obvious that in the middle of summer we are experiencing the 4th wave of the pandemic, with the Delta variant of the Sars-Cov2 virus currently prevalent, which is characterized by increased communicability at all ages.
- Cases of Covid-19 disease in our country have already exceeded 100,000 and 20% of them involve children (53% in children > 12 years old).
- Data from the analysis of recent cases and increasing hospitalizations due to Covid-19 show that they mainly concern unvaccinated individuals and therefore it makes sense to observe increased morbidity in childhood.
- The age group of children >12 years of age is characterized by strong social activity, reduced compliance with health precautions, frequent contact with children of younger ages and possibly unvaccinated elderly and therefore contributes significantly to the spread of the virus.
- Achieving collective immunity and preventing the creation and spread of new variants of the virus requires the earliest possible vaccination, if possible of the entire population that remains unvaccinated and can (in the absence of medical and age reasons) be vaccinated.
- Although the majority of cases in childhood play a mild effect, the possibility of serious complications from Covid-19 infection (Multi-system Inflammatory Syndrome – MIS-C, which even manifests itself more severely in adolescence or long Covid syndrome) is real.
- Restarting and ensuring the smooth functioning of all levels of education from next September requires strengthening the wall of immunity. The preservation of the psycho-emotional health of children who have been so affected by the pandemic and the prolonged periods of confinement and abstinence from social activities presupposes the fastest possible return to our old normality.
- The need to safeguard the vaccination coverage of children who have inevitably been affected by the pandemic and the delays already experienced in the administration of vaccines in the basic vaccination programme raises further concerns at a possible prolongation of the current situation.
- There has been accumulated experience with the use of approved mRNA vaccines in children > 12 years of age for many weeks, in a sufficient number of countries ( > 9,000,000 doses were administered in the US), with strong evidence of their effectiveness. The only serious recorded side effect is the rare possibility of myocarditis, in 1-4:100,000 vaccinated children. The vast majority of these cases developed mild disease, with excellent outcome. The other undesirable side effects that occurred were the usual ones following vaccination with most vaccines of the basic regimen and were all mild and transient. The rigorous surveillance carried out by the relevant scientific bodies and regulatory authorities (e.g. FDA, EMA) as well as the strong recommendation for the use of the vaccine in children over 12 years of age by the most responsible scientific organisations such as the CDC, ECDC, AAP, EAP and a significant number of European and other countries that are constantly updated , gives even more confidence to the safety and efficacy of these vaccines.
- The benefit of vaccination of this age group compared to any potential risks is significantly outweighed. It should be noted, however, that the benefit is multiplied for children of this age range belonging to high-risk groups for serious illness due to pre-existing diseases e.g. obesity, chronic respiratory diseases, neuromuscular diseases, etc. The recommendation of vaccination of this group of the population does not negate or replace the need to vaccinate adults who remain unvaccinated and in particular persons caring for or in close contact with children, but above all notes the need to protect the children themselves, including those who, by reason of age, cannot currently be vaccinated.
For all the above reasons, the Paediatric Society of Cyprus recommends the immediate initiation of universal vaccination of children over 12 years of age.
It is understood that the administration of vaccines should obtain the informed consent and consent of the parents or guardians of each child.
The members of the Paediatric Society of Cyprus are at the disposal of the State and society to assist both in the effort of valid information and in carrying out the work of vaccinations in children. Because the interception of the pandemic was and is our highest duty and priority.
From the Board of Directors of the THK
