The pandemic has hit people hard in Greater Lincolnshire and the UK, including those living in Boston, Grimsby, Scunthorpe, and Skegness.
More than 7.9million people have had COVID-19 in the UK, and sadly more than 137,000 people have died of COVID. In Greater Lincolnshire there were 5,039 cases of coronavirus with no sign of the virus slowing down.
Young people have missed out on so much because of COVID-19, which includes not being able to go to university in places like London, Manchester, Lancaster, Hull, and Lincoln. It has also meant that many young children have missed out for the past couple of years playing with their friends or going on holiday or even theme parks. The Government Children COVID-19 vaccine is hoping to change that.
49 million adults have received at least one vaccination, and now it is the turn of young people. However, many parents are worried about the COVID vaccine for children which means tens of thousands of children could miss out on being vaccinated against COVID.
It is understandable that parents are worried about the COVID vaccines for kids, but when you look at the young lives that have been lost to the virus, it is now time to take action.
According to one parent who lost her child to COVID-19, the Vaccination for children is an important step to control and beat the virus.
Tracey Halliday, 40, sadly lost her daughter to the COVID-19 virus. Her daughter was just 15-years of age.
Jorja Halliday, from Portsmouth became very ill just before she was due to have her COVID-19 vaccine. On the Sunday, she struggled to eat and on the Monday her condition become worse after reporting her throat was hurting. Sadly, she tested positive for COVID-19 and died on the Tuesday.
What You Need To Know About COVID Vaccine For Children
We understand that parents around Lincolnshire and the UK are worried about the COVID Vaccine for children, and that is why we got together with Abbas Kanani, a pharmacist at Chemist Click.
During the past week, we have received questions from parents about the COVID Vaccination for kids, and we put those questions to Abbas Kanani.
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What COVID vaccination has been approved for children?
Pfizer
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How much research has gone into the vaccination?
Pfizer have tested the vaccine on children from July 2020, recruiting 2,259 participants between the ages of 12-15 and 754 patients aged 16-17 years of age. The benefits have been found to outweigh the risks involved.
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Are there any common side effects with the COVID vaccine for children?
As with all medication, there is a chance of experiencing side effects. During the study, the most commonly reported side effects were
- Pain at the site of injection
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Muscle pain
- Chills
- Fever
- Joint pain
As is the case with adults, symptoms usually last for 1-3 days. There is a possibility that your child may not experience any side effects at all.
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Is there research on the long-term effects of the kid’s COVID vaccine?
Since the vaccine has not been out for long enough, there is no data available on the long-term effects of the vaccine. However, vaccines rarely cause long-term effects.
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Why are children being given one vaccination while adults receive two, are children covered as much as adults?
This is related to the very rare chance that inflammation of the heart muscle could arise from the vaccine. This can cause chest pain and palpitations, but cases are not thought to be serious, and children can recover quickly with treatment. There is a good chance that children will be offered both vaccines as well as booster shots in the future.
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Are there any children who should not get the vaccination?
Children under the age of 12, and children with a known allergy to any of the ingredients in the vaccine.
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How do I decide if to allow my child to have the vaccination?
The facts are that the vaccine will help to prevent the transmission of covid, giving your child, your family, and those who come into contact with your child, better protection. You should weigh up these pros, against any potential risks. The vaccine will help to ensure that your child can return to normality soon.
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Does the vaccination give my child a small dose of COVID-19?
No, the vaccine contains a piece of genetic material from the virus and not the active virus. Therefore, it is not possible to contract covid from the vaccine.
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Is the vaccination safe for children?
The main risk is inflammation of the heart muscle. The risk is extremely small with around 12-34 cases seen for everyone million second doses. Cases are usually mild and resolve quickly with standard treatment. Overall, the benefits are thought to outweigh the risks involved.
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Long Covid is a worry for many parents. Will the vaccine protect young people against it?
During clinical trials conducted in around 2,200 12-15 years old, half of the participants were given the covid vaccine, whist the other half were given an inactive placebo vaccine. A week after the second dose, no cases of covid were reported in the group who received the Pfizer vaccine. There were 16 cases of covid reported in the group that were given the placebo vaccine. These results indicate that the vaccine is 100% effective in preventing covid in this age group.
Everyone aged 12 and over can now receive the COVID-19 vaccine. For more information go to nhs.co.uk/covidvaccine
Comments by Abbas Kanani, pharmacist at Chemist Click
