Filipino News 157

08 ISSUE 157 MAGANDANG BALITA | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | www.pinoynzlife.nz | MOB: 027 495 8477
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By Dr Hari Talreja
Do children receive a
smaller dose of the vaccine
than adults?
Yes. The child doses of the
Pfizer vaccine are smaller
than the ones used for
people over the age of 12 –
a child’s dose is one third
of the adult dose.
And how far apart do they
receive their two doses?
Currently the recommendation
in New Zealand is
that the first and second
doses are given 8 weeks
apart. ?The?interval can
be shortened?to a minimum
of 21 days if needed,
for example if your child
is starting?significant
immunosuppression?treatment.
How safe is the vaccine for
my child?
For children aged 5 to 11,
clinical trial results
showed the Pfizer vaccine
was 90.7% effective
against getting COVID-19
symptoms, and no participants
developed severe
COVID-19.
In the United States, more
than 8 million doses were
administered in the 5 to 11
age group from November
to December 2021. The
national public health
agency, Centres for
Disease Control and
Prevention, reports serious
adverse reactions were
rarely reported. It says
parents and caregivers of
children in this age group
should be advised that
local and systemic reactions
are expected after
receiving the Pfizer vaccine
but are more common
after the second dose.
What if my child has food
allergies?
The vaccine has no
increased risk for those
tamariki with food, gelatin
or latex allergy as these
are not contained within
the Pfizer vaccine.
When and where can 5-
11’s be vaccinated?
From 17 January, parents
Everything parents will want to know
about vaccinating their children
With eight years’ experience at Counties Manukau Health and
previous international experience in Canada, Dr Hari Talreja
cares for patients with kidney disease and renal transplantation –
which puts them at a higher risk of developing complications from
Covid-19.
He has been a strong advocate for his patients to get vaccinated
and is now encouraging Auckland parents and caregivers to
immunise their children aged 5 to 11, who are eligible from
January 17, against COVID-19.
He has responded to questions below with the support of the
Northern Region Health Co-ordination Centre (NRHCC), which
is running Auckland’s vaccination programme.
Photo credit: Dreamstime (Models featured)
or caregivers can take
their 5 to 11 year olds to
their GP or pharmacy to
be immunised against
COVID-19. Or, they can
walk in at any vaccination
centre listed here.
A number of our community
partners are continuing
to set up pop-up vaccination
clinics and events
at churches, sports clubs
and in school communities.
If you want to book for
more than 1 child or you
are unable to book online,
call the COVID
Vaccination Healthline on
0800 28 29 26 (8am to
8pm, 7 days a week) and
we will make the booking
for you and answer any
questions. Interpreters are
available.
How will the consent
process work? And can
parents be assured its
robust nation-wide?
Children in this age group
must have a parent, caregiver
or legal guardian
accompany them to their
appointment and provide
verbal consent for them to
be vaccinated. At the
appointment, both the
adult and child can ask as
many questions as they
like.
What are the side effects
for this age group?
Side effects of immunisation
in children are similar
to those seen in adults.
These side effects are generally
mild and should
only last 1 or 2 days.
The most common side
effects are:
• a sore arm from the
injection – you can put a
cold cloth or ice pack on it
to feel better
• a headache
• feeling tired
• feeling feverish or
sweaty
• nausea (feeling like you
need to vomit)
• aching muscles.
Why is it important that I
vaccinate my child?
Immunising 5 to 11-yearold
tamariki helps protect
them from getting unwell
from COVID-19. The
COVID-19 virus can be
unpredictable. While
COVID-19 generally has
milder effects in children,
with symptoms being similar
to a cold, some children
become severely ill
and require hospitalisation.
Tamariki can also
have rare complications
such as Multisystem
Inflammatory Syndrome
(MIS-C) that may require
intensive care. Tamariki
can also suffer long term
effects (known as long
COVID), even after mild
cases of COVID-19.
Will certain ethnic groups
be prioritised for the paediatric
vaccine rollout?
We have enough doses of
the paediatric vaccination
to ensure all tamariki can
be vaccinated. Our priority
is to ensure an equitable
delivery model.
Maori and Pacific people
have and will continue to
be prioritised in the rollout,
as they’re more likely
to get seriously ill from
COVID-19. We continue
to work with iwi, DHBs,
local providers, communities
and the Ministry of
Education to reach all
children in our community.
Some clinics may also
offer other childhood
immunisations.
Are specially trained vaccinators
needed?
Yes, updated training has
been provided for paediatric
group due to some
differences in the drawing
up and administration of
this vaccine.
What do you say to vaccine
hesitant parents?
How safe is the vaccine for
5-11s?
The Pfizer vaccine is
proven to be highly effective
in young people after
two doses are administered.
That means if they
do develop COVID-19,
they’re far less likely to
fall seriously ill and less
likely to transmit the virus
to others – including
whÇnau and friends who
may be more at risk from
COVID-19.
Will children be required
to have a My Vaccine Pass
to access non-essential
services?
Children will not need a
My Vaccine Pass and children
under 12 can’t get a
My Vaccine Pass. There is
no requirement (vaccine
mandate) for tamariki to
be immunised. It is completely
up to the parents
or caregivers to decide if
they want their children
immunised.
Could this age group have
AstraZeneca instead of
Pfizer?
Medsafe has approved the
child version of the Pfizer
vaccine for children aged
5-11 years old. The
AstraZeneca vaccine is
approved only for adults
aged 18 and older.
Will this age group need
boosters?
Children aged 5-11 are not
eligible for booster doses.
Medsafe has provisionally
approved a booster dose of
the Pfizer vaccine for
adults aged 18 and older.
Keeping yourself safe with COVID-19 in the Community
There are a number of
things you can do to keep
yourself safe while out
and about in Canterbury.
Mask up – wearing a
mask provides great protection.
It must cover
your nose and mouth.
Surgical (paper) masks
provide better protection
than fabric masks/face
coverings.
Scan in – scanning in
using the QR code, provides
an accurate record
of where you’ve been.
With blue-tooth turned
on, you’ll receive an alert
if you’ve been to a location
of interest. You can
also sign in manually at
all locations.
Show your vaccine
pass – many businesses
and venues require you
to show your vaccine
pass before you can
enter. Have it ready on
your phone or printed
out.
Stay home if you’re
sick - if you’re not feeling
100% stay home.
Maintain physical distancing
– stay at least 1
metre away from people
you don’t know.
Get tested – COVID-
19 testing is free for anyone
with cold or flu like
symptoms. No matter
how mild it’s important
you get tested to identify
any cases in the community.
Keep up good hygiene
habits – wash and dry
your hands frequently or
use hand gel; cover
coughs and sneezes and
dispose of your tissues in
the bin and clean or disinfect
shared surfaces
frequently.
Get vaccinated –
whether you need your
first, second or booster
dose, there are clinics
open ready to vaccinate
you today – drop ins are
welcome. Check the
location of your nearest
clinics and booster eligibility
here. - supplied