Medical Association: Vaccines are safe for children and teenagers

In the written statement made by the Turkish Cypriot Medical Association (KTTB), it was emphasized that everyone aged 5 and over should be vaccinated to be protected against the Coronavirus, stating that the way to reduce losses and continue life in the pandemic is through mask, distance, hygiene, ventilation of the environment and vaccination.

The Association stated that widespread vaccination for Covid-19 is the most important tool for the best protection from the disease and its possible complications, and that children and young people who are fully vaccinated with appropriate vaccines can continue their education and social life more comfortably provided that they comply with mask, distance and hygiene rules.

In the statement, “Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 5 and over has been approved in the USA. In our country, the Biontech/Pfizer vaccine has been put into practice over the age of 12. In this period, when the epidemic is increasing and the number of cases in schools is at risk of getting out of control, a vaccination program should be started at the age of 5 at an appropriate dose. Especially, families should be comfortable about giving these vaccines to their children.

“COVID-19 IS SEEN AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 CAUSES OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN AGED 5-11”

It was stated in the statement that millions of children and young people all over the world are positive for Covid-19, and it was stated that Covid-19 can cause severe infection in children, hospitalization and, in some cases, death with serious complications arising from infection.

The statement, which stated that children are as likely as adults to be infected with Covid-19, continued as follows:

“When the European and American data of the pandemic period are examined, COVID-19 is seen as one of the top 10 causes of death for children aged 5-11 years. in children infected with COVID-19; Serious complications such as the life-threatening multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), in which different body parts are inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes or gastrointestinal tract, can be seen. Especially in children with chronic diseases, the risk of severe infection and complications is quite high.

“VACCINE REDUCES CHILDREN'S RISK OF SEVERE DISEASE DUE TO COVID-19”

The following statements were included in the statement, which reiterated the necessity of vaccinating children aged 5 and over with the Covid-19 vaccine:

“Getting the Covid-19 vaccine will help protect children aged 5 and over from contracting Covid-19. Vaccination of children will help protect siblings who are ineligible for vaccination and family members at risk of serious illness if infected. Vaccination reduces children's risk of serious illness due to Covid-19. Vaccination of children aged 5 and over will enable them to continue their education and social activities. This is essential for sustainable face-to-face education and the social development of children.

By getting ourselves and your children aged 5 and over vaccinated against Covid-19, we can help protect our entire family and slow the spread of Covid-19 in our community. With vaccination, we can prevent the increase in cases in our country, the possible risk of closure and the possibility of losing our loved ones.”

“COVID-19 VACCINES ARE SAFE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH”

In the statement, it was stated that Covid-19 vaccines are safe for children and young people, it was explained that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the known and potential risks, and it was called for the vaccination program to be started as soon as possible for children aged 5 and over in Northern Cyprus.

In the statement, it was stated that the data from the USA, which vaccinated children aged 5 and over, showed that no serious side effects were observed after the use of the vaccine, and the following data was conveyed:

“Post-vaccination myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the outer lining of the heart) have been reported after Pfizer-Biontech for ages 12-17. These side effects are rare; In one study, the risk of myocarditis after the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech in the week following vaccination was approximately 54 cases per million doses administered in men aged 12-17 years. These cases progressed with mild clinical findings. On the other hand, in the case of Covid-19 infection, the rate of myocarditis is reported to be approximately 450 per million cases. Adolescents aged 12-17 years have a higher risk of myocarditis than children aged 5-11 years. During clinical trials, no cases of myocarditis were seen in children aged 5 to 11 years who received the Covid-19 vaccine. Myocarditis has not been reported in 5-11 age vaccinations.

“APPROPRIATE AGE DOSES AND APPROVED VACCINES MUST BE DONE”

Emphasizing that there is no data showing that Covid-19 vaccines cause infertility contrary to the claims, it was stated that the side effects that can be seen after each vaccination can also be seen after Covid-19 vaccines.

“Pain, redness and swelling may be observed in the arm where your child was vaccinated. Your child may experience fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea. In this case, non-aspirin paracetamol or ibuprofen can be used.