Reassure parents about the safety and efficacy of vaccines for children and fight fake news.
Here are the Faqs developed by the Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital and disseminated by the Lazio Region for its information campaign on pediatric doses.
IS A VACCINE AVAILABLE TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM 5 TO 11 YEARS OLD?
Yes, the Pfizer vaccine, and for ages 5-11, a lower, one-third dosage is used.
Two doses are planned by intramuscular injection each three weeks apart.
In some countries, vaccination of children between the ages of 5 and 11 is already underway (USA, Israel, Austria, Chile).
IS IT SAFE FOR MY CHILD TO GET THE COVID 19 VACCINE?
Yes. The studies carried out show a high efficacy in preventing Covid (91%). Safety and efficacy were closely monitored including studies in this age group.
WHY SHOULD I GET MY SON VACCINATED?
Vaccination can help protect your child. Although fewer children have become infected, they can become infected and infect. In some rare cases, a form of inflammatory disease (MIS-C) caused by the virus has also been described in children and can be aggressive.
WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON SIDE EFFECTS IN CHILDREN?
Pain, redness and swelling in the arm where the injection was given, tiredness, headache, body aches, chills, fever and nausea. These side effects disappear in a few hours or days (about two).
HOW LONG DOES THE PROTECTION PROVIDED BY THE VACCINE LAST?
To ensure the duration of protection, a booster is provided for adults after 5 months. An additional dose is foreseen starting from 12 years and after 28 days for transplant recipients or those with marked immune compromise.
IS THERE A MINIMUM INTERVAL TO RESPECT BETWEEN THE COVID 19 VACCINE AND OTHER VACCINATIONS?
Administration can be concomitant, or at any time interval, before or after, with another inactivated vaccine (polio; anti-diphtheria; anti-tetanus; anti-hepatitis B; anti-pertussis; anti-Haemophilus type b; anti-influenza; anti HPV; anti-flu). In the case of measles vaccines; anti-rubella; anti-mumps; anti-chickenpox; anti-herpes zoster; anti yellow fever, the distance is 14 days.
ARE VACCINES EFFECTIVE AGAINST VARIATIONS?
Preliminary data from studies indicate that it is effective against some variants. The discovery of these variants does not change the basic recommendations for vaccination.
DO VACCINES BLOCK THE TRANSMISSION OF COVID?
Recent studies have shown that the vaccine is able to reduce the likelihood of infecting. In a large study in Israel, vaccinated had a 90% reduction in the risk of asymptomatic infection compared to unvaccinated. Furthermore, those who contract the infection after vaccination seem to have lower viral loads than those who are not vaccinated. However, it should be noted that the protective effect will never be 100%.
HAVE CLINICAL STUDIES BEEN SHORTED TO HAVE THESE VACCINES SOON?
The studies did not skip any of the steps to verify the efficacy and safety. The rapid development and approval is due to new technologies, huge resources and a new evaluation process of the regulatory agencies.
HOW IS THE ABSENCE OF VACCINATION CONTRAINDICATIONS DETECTED?
Before vaccination, healthcare personnel ask a series of simple but precise questions and assess whether the vaccination can be carried out or should be postponed.
IF MY CHILD HAS HAD COVID AND IS HEALED IS IT SUITABLE TO GET THE VACCINE?
If you have had the infection (positive swab): - it is possible to carry out a single dose of vaccine within 6 months from the infection - the evaluation of the antibody titers is not useful in deciding whether to carry out the vaccination - if more than 12 months have passed months from the infection it will be necessary to carry out two doses of the vaccine.
IF MY CHILD HAS HAD A DIAGNOSIS OF COVID (POSITIVE BUFFER) AND HAS IMMUNODEFICIENCY CONDITIONS TO PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENTS IS IT SUGGESTED TO DO ONLY ONE DOSE?
In this case it is recommended to do two doses.
DO PEOPLE WHO GET INFECTED AFTER THE FIRST DOSE HAVE TO RECEIVE THE SECOND DOSE?
In people with swab-confirmed infection at least 15 days after the first dose, the infection itself is a powerful boost to the immune system that adds to the vaccine.
Therefore it is not indicated to give these people the second vaccine dose.
Partial vaccination and subsequent infection do not preclude a possible recall in the future.
