Almost half of the parents of children under 12 are ‘probably or certainly willing’ to have their children vaccinated, according to a survey conducted by RIVM at the end of November. There is no national guideline, so a corona vaccination is not mandatory for young children.
Because many parents have doubts, we explain the pros and cons of a corona vaccine for young children in this video:
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In December, the Health Council recommended that 5- to 11-year-olds be vaccinated. Most children will have a ‘very mild’ corona infection, but a small group can become so sick that they have to be hospitalized.
Epidemiologist Patricia Bruijning says the following about the chance for young children to be admitted because of a corona infection: “The risks are very small, but not zero.”
Bruijning says he is not worried about any dangers of the vaccine. She expects that young children may experience the same side effects as adults, but does not foresee other dangers.
No consequences for unvaccinated children
Children who do not receive a corona vaccine should not suffer any consequences. For example, they should be able to go to school as usual, emphasizes the Health Council.
Parents who want to have their child vaccinated can make an appointment by phone. All children of the same family can then be vaccinated at the same time. Separate ‘children’s streets’ will be built at the vaccination locations of the GGDs. “Vaccinators take extra time for the children, offer extra care. Their parents are there, all of this has to be done in a calm manner,” a spokesperson for the GGD said earlier.
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Vulnerable children aged 5 to 11 can already be vaccinated. They have a medical condition, such as severe asthma, a congenital heart defect or Down syndrome. As a result, they may be more at risk in the event of a corona infection.
The Ministry of Health estimates that a total of about 8,000 children of those ages are involved, about a thousand of whom have been vaccinated so far.
Pfizer/BioNTech’s ‘Child’ Dose
In vulnerable children there are four weeks between the first and second injection. In non-frail children, the second shot is given after eight weeks. Children from 0 to 4 years old cannot be vaccinated yet. The children will receive a ‘child dose’ of the vaccine from Pfizer/BioNTech.
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