[Q&A] COVID-19 Vaccination for Children Aged 5-11 Starting from the 31st... "Should They Get Vaccinated Even After the Peak?"

COVID-19 Vaccination for Children Aged 5-11 Starts March 31
Advance Reservations Begin March 24 via Online and Phone
Vaccination Voluntary, Recommended for High-Risk Children

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki Ha-young] Starting from the 31st, COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5 to 11 will begin. The vaccination targets children born between 2010, who have not yet had their birthday this year, and those born in 2017, who have already had their birthday, based on the birth year. The vaccination will be administered with the pediatric Pfizer vaccine, which contains one-third the dose of the adult vaccine, at an 8-week (56-day) interval.

Vaccination is voluntary, but it is recommended for high-risk children to prevent severe illness and death. Pre-registration has been available since the 24th, and based on information provided by health authorities, we have summarized common questions about the pediatric vaccine.

- Why should children get the COVID vaccine?

▲ Due to the spread of the Omicron variant, confirmed cases have surged among children aged 5 to 11, who were previously not included in the vaccination target group, and severe cases and deaths have also occurred. The cumulative incidence rate (per 100,000 population) for children aged 5 to 11 is 22,162, which is higher than 17,526 for ages 12 to 17 and 12,241 for ages 18 to 59. Among children, there have been 20 cumulative severe cases and 4 deaths due to COVID-19, and 10 cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) have been reported. Notably, 70% of severe cases and 50% of deaths were among children with underlying conditions.

Children tend to have a higher rate of asymptomatic or mild cases compared to adults when infected with COVID-19, but children with underlying health conditions have a relatively higher risk of progressing to severe illness.

- Countries currently implementing pediatric vaccination

▲ Pediatric vaccines have been granted emergency approval or authorization in 62 countries including the United States and Europe, where vaccination is either underway or being prepared. The primary vaccination rates for children are 72% in Singapore, 56.7% in Canada, 50.9% in Australia, 33% in the United States, and 21.3% in Germany.

- High-risk groups who should receive the pediatric vaccine

▲ High-risk children have a relatively higher chance of progressing to severe illness if infected with COVID-19 compared to healthy children. This includes children with chronic lung, heart, liver, kidney, neuromuscular diseases, diabetes, obesity, or those who are immunocompromised (taking immunosuppressants). Children receiving treatment, care, or residing in social welfare facilities due to chronic diseases are also included. Additionally, vaccination is recommended based on a physician’s opinion for children aged 5 to 11 who meet similar high-risk criteria and are deemed in need of vaccination.

However, vaccination is not recommended for children who have already been infected with COVID-19, and a second dose is not recommended if infection occurred after the first dose.

- Is the pediatric vaccine effective and safe?

▲ Pfizer’s pediatric vaccine, developed separately for children, is used for vaccination. Considering safety, the dose of active ingredients is one-third that of the adult vaccine. According to Pfizer’s clinical trials, the immune response was similar to that of 16- to 25-year-olds who received the adult vaccine, with an infection prevention efficacy of 90.7%. A U.S. study showed that during the Omicron variant surge, the emergency treatment prevention efficacy for children aged 5 to 11 was 51% after vaccination, and hospitalization prevention efficacy during the Delta and Omicron periods was 74%.

No serious adverse events were reported in clinical trials. Overall safety information is similar to that of 16- to 25-year-olds, with most adverse reactions being mild to moderate and resolving within three days. In the U.S., about 8.7 million vaccinations were administered to children aged 5 to 11, with 0.05% reporting adverse reactions, 97.6% of which were common reactions such as fever or vomiting.

- Can vaccination be done at any local clinic?

▲ Vaccination is only available at approximately 1,200 designated pediatric vaccination medical institutions nationwide that have experience vaccinating children and the capacity to respond to emergencies. The list of medical institutions can be checked on the COVID-19 vaccination website. After the 31st, same-day vaccination is only possible through a preliminary list of medical institutions (confirmed by phone). For children, a guardian or legal representative must accompany them for safety and adverse reaction monitoring. Guardians must visit with the child, verify their identity, and complete a pre-vaccination questionnaire at the vaccination site.

- When should vaccination not be received?

▲ Vaccination should not be received if there is a severe allergic reaction such as anaphylaxis to any vaccine component. If there is a history of allergies to medications, cosmetics, food, or other types of vaccines, this should be reported to the medical staff during the pre-vaccination screening.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.