Vaccines reduce the adverse effects of viral infections. It happens because the body system has recognized the virus in advance, causing a faster response to viral infection. The difference between the formation of antibodies with vaccination and natural viral infection is in the strict supervision and control of vaccination.
“We hope that when the body recognizes the virus, it will not cause severe symptoms and also reduce the risk of death,” said Dr. Mei Neni Sitaresmi, Deputy Dean of UGM FKKMK for Cooperation, Alumni, and Community Service, during the Doctor Live Webinar on Sunday (8/8).
The main goal of vaccines is herd immunity. Children and adolescents are also a group that is vulnerable to Covid-19. The delta variant of the Covid-19 mutation causes an increased level of Covid-19 transmission risks.
“Most teenagers had Covid-19 without symptoms and might transmit the virus, as we can see by the increased number of Covid-19 patients in family clusters,” explained Mei.
Seeing the current condition, giving vaccines to adolescents is crucial. The efficacy and safety profile of Sinovac for adolescents did not differ significantly from the profile for those over 18 years of age.
“Seeing the risk and safety profile, IDI recommends giving Sinovac at 12-17 years, including for children with disabilities,” said Mei.
Research on vaccine safety is still ongoing. Thus, health protocols must be observed to protect children from Covid-19. Considerations for delaying vaccination for children and adolescents are not much different from adults, such as physical health conditions, disease history, and a history of severe allergies.
“For teenagers, the post-vaccination effect is important to monitor. Currently, in Yogyakarta, the transmission of Covid-19 among the community is quite high. People risk exposing themselves to the virus during vaccination,” added May.
The Covid-19 vaccination program for teenagers continues to be carried out, including the “sak omah” vaccination program, vaccinations at schools, and drive-thru vaccinations. Vaccination for teenagers, said Dr. Mei, is not only focused on Covid-19 but also on measles, diphtheria, and others. She did not forget to urge the public to be wiser in reading the news because of the many hoaxes related to vaccines.
Simak selengkapnya di sini.
Source: https://www.ugm.ac.id/id/berita/21499-pentingnya-vaksinasi-covid-19-pada-anak
