Vaccinating children

Published October 30, 2021

THE Sindh government’s announcement that children over the age of 12 will not require parental consent to get vaccinated is bound to draw a lot of flak from a cross-section of society — and with good reason. Any action predicated on duress is likely to backfire. This holds true for the Covid vaccine as well. Although the NCOC says that over 100m people in the country have been either fully or partially vaccinated, there is still vaccine hesitancy, which may be reinforced if the government administers jabs to children 12 years and older without parental approval. Secondly, there are concerns among parents about any possible long-term effects of Covid-19 vaccines on children. The WHO has adopted a cautious approach on this as children are still in the process of growing and developing physically, although it has not ruled out the vaccine for this younger age group. In fact, it must be noted that several countries that have advanced healthcare and are active in medical research have been inoculating children. The Sindh government should then be more careful in its messaging and actions, especially if it plans vaccination drives in schools. It must keep parents in the loop at all times and address their medical concerns regarding their children. For instance, a child may be prone to allergic reactions, or be ill on the date he is or she is supposed to be vaccinated. This may prove to be a dilemma for parents who look out more for their child’s welfare than their own. Hence a gentler approach is needed.

Moreover, for children to decide on their own to be vaccinated — if that is the line of argument — does not make sense. Children are susceptible to pressure from their peers and very few can grasp the importance of making judicious health decisions. Parents then must be actively engaged by both the schools and health authorities. However, this exercise in persuasion must be accompanied by a firmer approach towards maintaining SOPs, including mask-wearing and frequent handwashing, in school.

Published in Dawn, October 30th, 2021

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.