Staff Writer

Children 12 years and older are now eligible for Covid 19 vaccinations in South Africa, as the government begins to move back to normal, with full schooling to be implemented from next week, and social distancing to be halted in public schools. Currently, 1 dose has been recommended, with more soon to follow.

Meanwhile, globally children from 5 and up have been receiving vaccines in countries, including the USA and UK, with some even receiving 3 shots of the vaccine.

Speaking to Radio Islam International, Professor Mignon McCulloch (nephrological paediatrician at the Cape Town Red-Cross Hospital) and Dr Mehnaz Patel (a paediatrician as well), both argued that the vaccine was largely safe, with Prof McCulloch saying, “Well, in fact, the opposite is true. There’s never been a vaccine that has been studied as extensively as the [Covid 19] vaccine. They pulled scientists from all the other vaccine programs just to study Covid, and there’s been hundreds of millions of people across the world who’ve had the vaccine.”

Both also noted that the previous assumption that children would not be greatly impacted by Covid 19 has changed with the Omicron strain. Children have become ill and even hospitalised with Covid 19, however to a lesser extent than adults, with children’s deaths being even more rare. Dr Patel said, “Children absolutely can be infected with Covid 19 and develop severe illness…. in this recent Omicron wave, there was a significant amount of children who were very ill and required hospitalization, particularly infants”. Significantly, children also suffer from long Covid, with many feeling fatigued and not being able to return to school

The paediatricians also noted that children already take around 14 vaccines in South Africa, and that it is likely that the Covid vaccine may become an annual event, such as the common flu vaccine. Both also noted the safety profile in children, arguing that dosages were already been calculated for infants 5 months and older. Significantly, Professor McCulloch argued that these trials were not about the safety of the vaccine, but related to the dosage required. Moreover, she noted that the single dose requirement in South Africa was more about supply, and not about safety.

Last, both noted that vaccinations were necessary, especially in regards to returning to normality, with Prof McCulloch asserting that the failures of the roster system at schools weren’t only bad for kids’ physical health, but also their psychological health. Moreover, it was noted that distancing, sanitisation and the wearing of masks needed to continue.