In the Vitebsk region, active vaccination against coronavirus infection has begun for adolescents aged 12-17
The chief physician of the institution, Galina Puzanova, explained that the campaign started during the school holidays, so for now it is carried out only at children's polyclinics. With the start of classes, vaccinations will also be administered at school medical centers. Pediatricians have already informed parents through class teachers in parent chats.
In addition, agreements have been reached with secondary vocational and higher education institutions that also have students under the age of majority. An additional vaccination point will be organized at the regional children's polyclinic for this category of students. Pupils of boarding institutions will also be vaccinated according to plan – lists of children of the appropriate age are currently being compiled, after which medical personnel will deliver the necessary vaccine doses to their place of residence.
– I wouldn't say this is entirely new work for our service in organizational terms. We have a whole system for vaccinating children, including mass immunization against influenza, not to mention the National Vaccination Schedule. The storage and transportation conditions for the Chinese vaccines used for vaccinating the pediatric population against coronavirus are similar to those we have worked with before. Consequently, no additional equipment was required. The only thing is that for the new vaccine, we take written consent from parents. We have enough vaccines, and there are people willing to be vaccinated, – said Galina Puzanova.
In the very first days, young patients began to visit the vaccination room of the regional children's polyclinic – some by doctors' invitation, others came to the polyclinic for other reasons and decided to get vaccinated at the same time.
Among them is 17-year-old Petr Tokarets. At that time, the teenager was undergoing a medical examination for the military enlistment office, and since he was with his mother, he also received his first dose of coronavirus vaccine simultaneously.
– In general, we have a positive attitude towards specific prophylaxis; children were vaccinated against influenza every year, and our son immediately agreed to be vaccinated against coronavirus infection – as soon as we asked him, there was no need to persuade him. The whole family had a mild form of COVID. While I am still contemplating, I fully supported my son's decision, especially since he studies at the Vitebsk Cadet School, plans to pursue higher military education, and vaccination records will not hurt him – says his mother Ekaterina. Even earlier, the 70-year-old grandmother was vaccinated with the Chinese vaccine, and when the opportunity arose, her grandson followed her example, and it is not excluded that Ekaterina will soon make a positive decision.
For hesitant parents, pediatricians provide several arguments.
– The Vero Cell preparation by Sinopharm, used in our country for vaccinating children from 12 years of age, is registered in Europe, and in China, it is used for vaccinating children from three years old. It is an inactivated, i.e., non-live vaccine, which stimulates the immune system without the risk of causing the disease, preparing the body for a reaction to SARS-CoV-2 infection. In general, we are familiar with inactivated vaccines – for example, the polio vaccine, which we have been using for a long time and vaccinating children according to the National Calendar from two months of age, is created on a similar principle – explains Irina Gribovskaya, Head of the Vaccination Center of the Vitebsk Regional Children's Clinical Center.
Possible reactions to the new vaccine should also not cause concern; redness, hardening at the injection site, malaise, fever, headache, or muscle pain are acceptable. The most important thing that pediatricians draw the attention of adults to before COVID-19 vaccination is that the child must be healthy, have no acute illnesses, no allergies to vaccine components, and if they have had coronavirus infection, then visiting the vaccination room is permissible no earlier than six months later.
– It is important to understand that even a past infection does not guarantee immunity. Both teenagers and young children get sick, and there can be quite serious complications, and these are not isolated examples. This was especially noticeable during the third and fourth waves. Even now, when the incidence is declining, there are still new cases among children. Therefore, if there is an opportunity to vaccinate teenagers against coronavirus in our country, I believe we must use it, – Galina Puzanova is convinced. And this, according to pediatricians, should be the main argument for parents who want to protect their children during the pandemic.