As Taiwan is facing its largest COVID-19 wave yet, authorities are racing to vaccinate young children. This week, kids aged 5 to 11 across the country started getting their shots, but some parents are still concerned about very rare side effects. Itamar Waksman has the latest.
As COVID-19 cases rise, these parents are deciding whether to vaccinate their children.
On Monday Taiwan began vaccinating children ages 5 to 11. Classrooms and playgrounds throughout the country have been converted into makeshift vaccination centers.
Last week, parents received questionnaires asking whether they give permission for their children to get a shot. They were also asked which vaccine brand they would prefer. This comes as the country faces its largest COVID-19 wave yet, with daily cases nearing 20,000.
Senior pediatrician Dr. Huang Li-min says that young children can receive either one of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, and that the most important thing right now is that they get their first dose.
He added that parents can consider specific circumstances, like their child’s age or weight, in determining which vaccine would be more appropriate for their second dose.
But not everyone agrees. Some parents fear the potential side effects associated with these vaccines.
Public health expert Dr. Ho Mei-shang says that the potential risks of giving young children these vaccines outweigh the benefits.
She says that mortality rates from COVID-19 are very low for young children, and the long-term risks are still unclear.
Even with these concerns, authorities strongly recommend that some groups of children do get vaccinated. These include children with autoimmune diseases or chronic illnesses.