In Ecuador doses are already applied to children between 5 and 11 years old. The placement of a second dose is privileged towards them in December.
Associations of doctors, specialists in children and researchers agreed with include in vaccination against coronavirus to infants since 3 years old, although they exposed some recommendations to be considered by the authorities and citizens.
The Government, according to the Minister of Health, Ximena Garzón, will analyze the possibility of vaccinate to children from the age of 3 who are in school as have other nations such as Colombia and Chile.
Since October he is vaccinated to minors from the age of 5 and in this month of December they are privileged to receive their second dose.
9 questions about vaccinating children from 5 to 11 years old against COVID-19
For Fernando Aguinaga placeholder image, president of the Ecuadorian Society of Pediatrics, Pichincha subsidiary, the important thing is to try to vaccinate the largest possible population And if that includes inoculating younger children, you agree.
Adriana Arnao, pediatric infectologist, was also in favor. For her, the more people are vaccinated is much better, apart from the circulating variants and thus decrease the circulation of the virus.
“Regardless of the vaccination scheme received, vaccines can be given, but what can be done to whatever vaccines children get, they have to be healthy”, He explained.
Arnao said that the vaccine Sinovac Is placed in China from 3 years already in 2020, in Colombia also at that age group, while in Argentina it’s used Sinopharm.
In the country, he added, the vaccine that is available should be placed.
“The Pfizer Obviously it has greater protection for mild disease than the other vaccines, but the important thing is the protection against disease moderate to severe and against this type of disease, more or less all protect the same. The important thing is not to choose but what we have available, what we can access … “, he said.
He added that effects mild adverse events are generally fever, general discomfort, arm pain, nausea and if this occurs, it is recommended repose as well as take some anti-inflammatory.
At Aguinaga’s discretion, what you have to see is the scientific evidence that supports and the vaccine in these age groups and their safety.
The specialist suggests that they be placed two doses after 28 days. The fact that it is for school children, according to Arnao, would allow administer in the same children’s centers, because logistically it would be easier for parents.
For him research physician from the University of the Americas (UDLA) Esteban Ortiz, it is a “mistake” to only consider those who are schooled, Well they probably have a Best Quality of life that those who are “on the mother’s back all day” on the streets or they stay at home with a caregiver being the most vulnerable.
Ortiz sees positive immunization since he argued that the vaccines are safe, In addition, several clinical trials are being carried out with different vaccines in children, even from 2 years of age.
“You cannot wait six, eight more months for us to be able to make a decision and say look yes, let’s vaccinate the children because now we do have evidence, but rather ideally, an advisory committee, a scientific committee of the Ministry of Health sits down to debate the evidence … “, he said.
He called it priority due to the fact that the country has a deficient health system and due to the threat of the omicron variant.
In children, he mentioned Arnao, COVID-19 is much milder, less frequent, but that does not mean it is no longer present.
For Ortiz, the risk of acquiring COVID-19 in the educational field it is much less than in the community.
And with the goal of mass vaccinate children Inoculation points have been set up in five establishments in Quito, both in the north, south and in the center of the city.
Jenny Soria, for example, took her 7 and 9 year old children with the second dose to the Don Bosco educational unit, located in the historic center of Quito.
The mother of the family is in favor of February 2022 return to the classroom, because currently your education is virtual and you consider that it is not the same.
The first injection They received her at a school in the north of Quito where they study. Both doses of Sinovac. For her, the second dose process was “very fast” and she thought that it was due to the fact that few people went or were not aware of the inoculation sites.
More than half a million people have received anti-COVID-19 booster doses since October
Juan Carlos Espin, epidemiologist and family doctor from the northern district of Ministry of Public Health (MSP), said that as a strategy they have sought to open massive points in educational units where the community of nearby schools can go.
“It is a way of planning a mass vaccination of children and young people who are being vaccinated with second doses to complement schedules (…), first doses are already more than 95% placed (…), from 5 to 11 years, 11 months, 29 days, they are being the priority for their second dose, “said Espín.
At each point, he added, students are being called by days. It is estimated that they could be vaccinated between 4,000 and 7,000 people daily in educational units.
Will be enabled until December 31, as well as in public entities such as the Civil Registry and shopping centers.
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