India is in the midst of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and getting people vaccinated is the top priority of the government. The government has also started a vaccination drive for the age group of 15 to 18 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had himself made the announcement on December 25. It must be noted that only Covaxin, developed by Bharat Biotech, will be administered to kids. According to the Health Ministry, children with the birth year of 2007 or before will be eligible for this phase of vaccination. While sharing the details, the Health Ministry had also said that all established protocols regarding vaccination of children need to be followed.
It has been a few days and there are minimal cases of any side effects across that have reacted to the vaccine. But there are certain precautions that one needs to take when it comes to children getting vaccinated against the COVID-19
According to Dr. Soundarya – Consultant, Pediatrics, KMC Hospital, Mangalore – children usually receive vaccines for various diseases up to 16 years old and their bodies have enough strength to overcome the damage.
Doctors don’t suggest painkillers of paracetamol
“At a young age, the body goes under numerous changes and it has enough strength to overcome the damage. Most of them have very mild symptoms of headache, body pain, fever among others. Hence, we do not suggest any painkillers or paracetamol unless there are any adverse effects,” said Dr. Soundarya.
Vaccination for children of 15-18 years – All you need to know
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There are fixed protocols regarding vaccination and they apply to children in the age group of 15-18 years. For example, they need to wait for half an hour after being vaccinated. During this period they will be monitored for the adverse event following immunization (AEFI).
Also, there are certain things that doctors advise. The most important is that children should not go for vaccination empty stomach.
“Children are asked to come for the vaccine after taking the proper amount of food. Careful assessment for any chances of allergy needs to be undertaken before administering the vaccine. We then make them rest for an hour at the vaccination centre to see if they have any reactions or adverse effects before sending them home,” the doctor said.
Advice for parents
“We advise the parents to make sure the children follow the basic Covid protocols along with an ample amount of rest and a balanced diet. Children have a great amount of immunity to fight against many diseases and replenish faster when compared to adults. So, there is no need for parents to worry or postpone the vaccine either,” said Dr. Soundarya.
