The benefits of COVID-19 vaccines outweigh the risks for children between six months and five years old, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) said yesterday, as it also announced that the first Novavax vaccine shipment is to arrive today.
Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who heads the center, said the first shipment of the Moderna vaccine for young children was to arrive this morning, but due to minor document issues, delivery has been slightly postponed.
Lee Ping-ing (李秉穎), convener of the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), told the CECC’s daily news briefing about the commission’s approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged six months to five years.
Photo: Chou Hsiang-yun, Taipei Times
Although vaccine approval for children can differ by country, epidemiological data suggest that the risk from COVID-19 infection in young children — such as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) infection-induced encephalitis — is higher than the seasonal flu, Lee said.
Vaccination is still effective for reducing the risk of severe illness or death after COVID-19 infection, he added.
The recommended dosage is a two-dose primary series — 0.25mL per dose (50 micrograms of mRNA) — administered at least four to eight weeks apart, he said, adding that children who have contracted COVID-19 should get vaccinated at least three months after the onset of symptoms or the date of diagnosis.
The recommended site of vaccination for children under the age of two is in the vastus lateralis muscle of the anterolateral thigh, while the deltoid muscle in the upper arm of the non-dominant hand is recommended for children over the age of two, he said.
Common side effects of vaccination are crying, restlessness, pain at the infection site, sleepiness, fever, and a rash or swelling at the vaccination site, Lee said, adding that the side effects are generally milder for children than for adults.
However, if children following vaccination have a fever for more than 48 hours, or develop a serious allergic reaction — such as difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, dizziness, a rapid heartbeat, a rash over the entire body — they should see a doctor so that the cause can be determined, he added.
Myocarditis and pericarditis are serious, but very rare side effects after receiving an mRNA vaccine, especially among adolescent males, Lee said, adding that while the risk in children under the age of five is lower than in adolescents, parents should still watch for symptoms.
If symptoms — such as chest pain, chest tightness or discomfort, heart palpitations, decreased exercise tolerance, fainting or shortness of breath — develop within 28 days after vaccination, medical attention should be sought immediately, he said.
However, as young children might have trouble verbalizing discomfort, parents should also watch out for symptoms such as vomiting, a pale face, cold sweats, loss of appetite or fatigue, which can be caused by reduced blood pressure, Lee added.
The CECC and local governments are establishing vaccination sites for young children, Chen said, adding that the center has encouraged sites to be open in the evenings and on weekends, and for vaccinations to be administered at preschools or infant care centers.
The first Novavax vaccine shipment of 504,000 doses is to arrive today, with vaccinations starting on Friday next week or earlier, Chen said.
At its meeting on Monday, the ACIP also recommended that workers at airports, harbors, quarantine facilities and social welfare facilities, as well as airline crew members, receive a second booster shot, with an interval of at least five weeks after the first booster.
This priority group can receive their second booster shot from tomorrow, Chen said yesterday.
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