From left to right: Cavan – Leona Morrow with her son Mackenzie after he got his vaccination in Cavan, with Superman Gary Coyle, vaccinator Roisin Sexton Smith, Supergirl Curran, and Private Bernard Harmon, 27th Battalion. Dundalk – Charlotte Weston following her vaccination in the Fairways Hotel, Dundalk.
COVID-19 VACCINE FOR CHILDREN AGED 5 TO 11 – GET THE VACCINE FACTS COVID-19 vaccine is available for children aged 5 to 11 years. Dr Lucy Jessop, Director of Public Health in the HSE National Immunisation Office shares the facts about the COVID-19 vaccine for children. How can I protect my child from COVID-19? “COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all children aged 5 to 11. The vaccine is particularly recommended for children who have a health condition that puts them at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19, or if they live with a child or an adult who has complex medical needs or are immunocompromised,” said Dr Jessop.“Though serious illness from COVID-19 is rare in children, they are even less likely to become seriously ill with COVID-19 if they are vaccinated.” What vaccine will my child be offered? The vaccine your child is being offered is made by Pfizer and is called Comirnaty. It is a lower dose vaccine than the one offered to people aged 12 years and older.It has been tested with over 2,000 children aged between 5 and 11 years of age as part of clinical trials. No additional safety concerns were identified in the clinical trial for children in this age group. How many doses of COVID-19 vaccine are needed? “Two doses of COVID-19 vaccine are recommended 21 days apart,” said Dr Jessop. Other vaccines cannot be given in the 14 days before or the 14 days after your 5 to 11 year old gets the COVID-19 vaccine. Children with a weak immune system may need an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine, at least 28 days after their second dose. How does the vaccine work? “This mRNA vaccine teaches your child’s body how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response, without using the live virus that caused COVID-19,” explained Dr Jessop.
“Your child’s body then makes antibodies that help fight the infection if the COVID-19 virus enters their body in the future. Before vaccination, you will be asked to give consent for your child to get the vaccine and this consent will be recorded.” Can children who have already had COVID-19, get the vaccine? If your child has had COVID-19 they will likely have some protection from COVID-19 but they could get COVID-19 again. Getting vaccinated will reduce the risk of getting it again. Your child can get the COVID-19 vaccine four weeks after they first developed symptoms or four weeks after their positive COVID-19 test. Does the COVID-19 vaccine have side eff ects? Like all medicines, vaccines can cause side effects. Most of these are mild to moderate, short-term, and not everyone gets them. You should read the information on the HSE website and in the information leaflet so that you’re aware of possible side effects before you consent to your child’s vaccine. The information will also tell you what to expect after your child’s vaccination. How to get the COVID-19 vaccine for your child Parents and guardians can register their child for COVID-19 vaccination on the HSE website: www.hse.ie/book or you can call HSELive on 1800 700 700 to register your child over the phone. More information Visit the HSE.ie website for dedicated information for parents including a comic strip to help children understand what they can expect when they go for their vaccine. Visit the immunisation.ie website for information for health professionals including frequently asked questions.
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