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