December 14, 2021, 7:01 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Children between the ages of five and eleven can be vaccinated against the coronavirus in many places starting this week. Many parents are pleased, while others hesitate. What should be considered when making this decision?
The vaccine is being distributed, and the Standing Committee on Vaccination (Stiko) has made a statement. This week marks the start of COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged five and up. We answer important questions that parents may have.
Overview
What are the arguments for vaccination?
The seven-day incidence rate is currently particularly high among children. Without vaccinations, a large portion of them will become infected in the medium term, writes the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG). However, most infections in children have been asymptomatic. Without pre-existing conditions, the risk of severe illness is very low.
In Germany, there have been no COVID-19-related deaths among children without pre-existing conditions in this age group throughout the pandemic, said Stiko Chairman Thomas Mertens recently. Some experts argue that vaccination also reduces the risk of potential long-term and late effects of a COVID-19 infection, including long COVID and the inflammatory syndrome PIMS.
Also of interest: Study on long-term COVID effects identifies around 200 symptoms
What does Stiko say?
Stiko currently only recommends vaccination for five- to eleven-year-olds with certain pre-existing conditions. These include severe obesity, certain chronic lung diseases, cancer, and the chromosomal disorder trisomy 21 (also known as Down syndrome). It is also recommended for children who have contact with people at risk for severe COVID-19 courses, such as those with immune deficiencies or very elderly individuals.
However, there is no general vaccination recommendation (yet). According to Stiko, all other children aged five and up can be vaccinated against COVID-19 after medical consultation, provided there is an individual desire from the child and parents.
Do doctors have to comply with this “individual request”?
No, they do not have to, as pediatrician Jakob Maske clarifies. “Of course, I can refuse if I am not convinced of the vaccination’s benefit for the child sitting in front of me,” says the spokesperson for the Professional Association of Pediatricians and Adolescent Doctors.
According to him, what Stiko mainly clarifies with this wording is the following: “We are allowed to vaccinate, but we must inform parents about the residual risk of possible rare side effects that we may not yet know from the data available so far.” This applies to vaccinations in practices as well as in vaccination centers or by mobile vaccination teams.
What about side effects?
Ultimately, the benefit of a vaccination should outweigh its risk. It should ideally protect against (severe) illness and potential long-term effects. Additionally, it should reduce the risk of infecting people from a risk group.
Also of interest: Why do some people experience side effects from vaccinations – and others do not?
Stiko’s hesitation to recommend a general COVID-19 vaccination for all children aged five and up has a reason. The risk of rare side effects from this vaccination cannot currently be assessed “due to limited data availability.” Future adjustments to this recommendation are always possible.
Findings from other countries
In the U.S., according to last week’s data from the CDC, more than five million children between five and eleven years have received at least one dose, and more than 1.5 million have already received the second dose. No serious side effects have been reported so far. The same applies to Israel and Canada, where tens of thousands of children have at least received their first dose.
Also of interest: EMA approves BioNTech vaccine for children aged five and up
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) found a positive benefit-risk ratio when it approved the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine for this age group at the end of November.
The BMG writes: Serious side effects have not been known so far, and in the approval study, many children showed temporary vaccination reactions for one to two days. These included pain at the injection site, headaches, and fatigue. Fever, diarrhea, and muscle and joint pain also occurred.
When will the COVID-19 vaccine be available for children under 12 in Germany?
EMA Approves BioNTech Vaccine for Children Aged Five and Up
Dosage and timing of COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged five and up
The children’s vaccine is lower dosed compared to the conventional BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine (10 instead of 30 micrograms). The two required doses should be administered three to six weeks apart.
Also of interest: COVID despite vaccination! Two affected individuals share how it felt
What should be considered after vaccination?
Pediatrician Maske advises against engaging in intense sports for a week. The reason is: For 12- to 17-year-olds, this is recommended because data shows that in very rare cases, myocarditis can occur following vaccination–and intense sports can be very dangerous then.
For five- to eleven-year-olds, such data is not yet available, says Maske. “Nevertheless, I would recommend this as a precaution.” Children should also be cautious with regular school sports in the week following vaccination. However, riding a bike to school, for example, is not a problem.
with material from dpa