Vaccinate healthy children to protect vulnerable adults: Pediatricians

Pediatricians are now appealing for healthy children in the same age group to get the jab, NOS reported. Chair of the Dutch Association for Pediatricians, Károly Illy, said in NOS Radio 1 Journaal, vaccinating healthy children can help protect family members for whom a coronavirus infection could lead to serious medical complications.

On Friday, the Health Council recommended vaccinating vulnerable five- to eleven-year-olds against Covid-19. There was skepticism about vaccinating healthy children because they typically do not suffer severe symptoms from a Covid-19 infection, yet it could prevent adults around them from falling seriously ill.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has declared the Pfizer/BioNTech safe for children between five to eleven years. "There are no concerns about this," Illy said.

Illy emphasized that, as with every vaccine, there come risks. "You see, for example, among young adults that a very small group gets sick from the Covid-19 vaccine, but they do not suffer any long-term consequences. According to research, the same applies to children from five to eleven years.

Residents of the Netherlands can get vaccinated against the disease from the age of 12. The Health Council is working on vaccination advice for children aged five to eleven years. Vulnerable children will be the first to get called for vaccination.