Vaccination of children aged six to 11 years old in Taiwan for COVID-19 could begin as early as next Monday. That was the word from the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Tuesday.
Schools will give out consent forms to parents that offer the option of getting the vaccine dose at school or at a hospital. Parents will be provided with information on the risks and benefits of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and be given one week to decide.
Children will receive two 0.25 milliliter doses of the vaccine, which is half of the adult dose. The risks of taking the vaccine include the rare side effects of myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis, inflammation of the outer lining of the heart.
If children have any mild side effects, they can take up to three days off from school to recover.
Schools have been instructed not to plan any strenuous activities for students within two weeks after they’ve administered the COVID vaccines.