Pediatrician recommends vaccination and warns: “Covid can indeed kill children”

In light of the approval by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) of Pfizer’s request to vaccinate children aged 5 to 11 years against Covid-19 in Brazil, pediatrician Ana Escobar told CNN that the immunization of this age group is essential, mainly because “children can eventually die because of Covid”.

“Covid does kill children, in this year of 2021 there were more or less 2,500 deaths in children and adolescents. It’s a huge number if we consider that they are children. So we have to protect ourselves and even the children”, he reinforced.

The vaccine will also be applied in two doses, but the dosage for children will be adjusted and a third lower than that used by people over 12 years old. According to Anvisa, the proposal is to have different bottles, with specific dosage for each group. The bottles will be differentiated by color, purple for adults and teenagers and orange for children, according to Pfizer.

The pediatrician highlighted that there are no occurrences of side effects that contraindicate the use of Pfizer’s immunizing agent, and took the opportunity to reassure those responsible and encourage vaccination: “Parents, stay safe, vaccinate your children. It’s a safe vaccine.”

Escobar explained that the most common reaction to the immunizing agent that has been reported is pain in the application’s arm. However, for the pediatrician “the children’s bodies know how to respond much better to vaccines”.

The doctor also said that the ideal would be to start vaccinating children from 5 to 11 years old as soon as possible.

The start of the campaign to immunize children will be defined by the Ministry of Health, with no date set yet. Doses for pediatric use are not yet available in the country.

Reference: CNN Brasil

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