“Double Immunization for Children: Debunking AEFI Rumors and Ensuring Safety Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Says Indonesia Technical Advisory Group of Immunization Chairperson”

Liputan6.com, Jakarta – COVID-19 causes parents to worry about bringing their children to health facilities to get immunized. When the COVID-19 pandemic situation has started to be under control as it is today, double immunization is one way to catch up on delays in vaccination for children.

Multiple immunization is the administration of two different vaccine injections at the same time. However, not a few parents are nervous because the AEFI rumors are said to be very serious.

According to the Chairperson of the Indonesia Technical Advisory Group of Immunization (ITAGI), Sri Rezeki Hadinegoro, the effects arising from the double vaccination did not increase at all. The antibodies formed are the same, both in single and multiple vaccinations.

“It’s safe. KPI too No increase. The antibodies formed are also the same, either separately or given together. After looking, it turns out that it does not add. No make more AEFIs,” said Sri.

In line with Sri, Chair of the Childhood Immunization Update 2023 Committee and Chair of the IDAI Immunization Task Force, Hartono Gunardi added that the side effects of multiple immunizations are the same as giving a single vaccine.

“Don’t worry. The side effects are the same as giving one vaccine at a time,” said Hartono.

Hartono revealed that the results of a study conducted on around 600 children showed that only about 25 percent of children had fever due to vaccination.

“The side effects of the vaccine are mild and temporary. The vaccines given to children at the posyandu have been studied in Jakarta and Bandung. About 600 children were monitored and it turned out that only about 25 percent of AEFI had fever above 38 degrees,” explained Hartono.

In fact, only about 1 percent or about 1 in 100 children have a high fever above 39 degrees Celsius.