Nation

WHO URGES PARENTS TO GET KIDS VACCINATED VS COVID19

/ 14 February 2022

THE WORLD Health Organization urged parents to have their children inoculated against Covid19.

Dr. Rajendra Prasad Yadav, WHO acting country representative, said that the Pfizer Covid19 vaccine approved for kids below 11 years old are safe and effective.

“We have not seen that these vaccines are causing any more side effects than other vaccines,” Yadav stressed.

“These are very safe vaccines and effective. If we don’t vaccinate our children, they are also likely to develop severe Covid and die, especially if they have comorbidities,” he added.

The WHO official called on the public to stop spreading misinformation on vaccines “that causes unnecessary panic among parents.”

“These vaccines have been used in many countries including in younger age groups. WHO has approved them so we continue to recommend that these vaccines should be used in children, too” Yadav said.

The Department of Health said on Saturday that 52,262 children aged 5 to 11 have been vaccinated against Covid19.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said only four kids experienced minor adverse effect.

The pediatric inoculation started in Metro Manila on February 7 and will be expanded this week to other regions, including Central Visayas and Davao.

The government aims to vaccinate more than 39.41 million youngsters aged 17 and below.