The last two years have been a massive learning curve for us parents and our kids too. From learning about COVID-19 and how to manage it, then teaching our kids how to manage it too – it’s been a crash course we never thought we’d have to be part of, much less teach our kids about.
Thankfully today, we are now at the point of moving forward, with restrictions easing significantly and the COVID-19 vaccine now available for children aged 5 to 11.
The COVID-19 vaccine for children in this age group is the Pfizer BioNTech (that’s an mRNA vaccine) and the dose that’s given is actually equivalent to one third of the adult dose. It’s reassuring that even with that low dose, it has still been shown to be very effective.
The vaccine reduces your child’s risk of:
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COVID-19 illness, which can be severe in very rare cases
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developing paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PIMS) due to COVID-19
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having ‘long COVID’ symptoms such as fatigue, which can continue for weeks or months
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spreading COVID-19 to others, like vulnerable people in their home or extended family
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missing school and other activities because of being ill with COVID-19
It’s given in two doses, with the second dose due 28 days after the initial vaccine, and there are currently no plans for a booster dose.
Dr Lucy Jessop from the HSE’s National Immunisation Office told us that this children’s vaccine is used quite widely at this stage. She says, ‘We’ve been using it in Ireland since January, over 8 million children are fully vaccinated in America, and it’s used across Europe, Israel and the UK as well.’
When it comes to the COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, you and your children might have questions about it. So we talked to healthcare workers who are administering the vaccine and they told us the most common questions they get from kids, and the answers.
Q: Will I be alone?
A: You won’t be on your own, whoever brings you to the vaccination centre will go into the booth with you for your vaccine.
Q: Is it sore?
A: It’s not sore, it’s just a little scratch and it’ll be over in a second. Some kids don’t even feel it. In fact, a lot of children say ‘are you finished’ or ‘is it over’?
Q: How will I feel afterwards?
A: You might feel your arm just a little bit heavy, and if it feels like that, maybe just do the ‘chicken dance’ moving the arms up and down at your side. We hold on to you for about 15 afterwards, just to make sure everything is ok.
Q: Can I play sport afterwards?
A: If you’re feeling ok, absolutely. Drink lots of water. No problem at all.
Q: Who will be there (at the vaccine centre)?
A: When you come to the centre, you may see some of your friends from school or your local area. All the staff are very friendly and we’ll play some games with you as well. The best advice I can give is to bring your favourite toy when you’re coming to the vaccine centre, so you can play with it while you’re waiting.
Your child will probably have other questions too so if you haven’t already talked to them, why not take a minute to sit down and have a chat with them? They are mostly looking for reassurance, so they know what will happen on the day, and how they will feel afterwards.
If you want to find out more, the hse.ie has information for parents. Dr Lucy Jessop from the HSE’s National Immunisation Office told us she knows that parents want information and time to make their decision.
She says, ‘The HSE website has a lot of information for parents and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the World Health Organization (WHO) websites also have reliable information. I would strongly encourage people to look to those kinds of reputable sources for accurate information or to talk to their GP, Pharmacist, hospital consultant or another trusted healthcare professional.’
As well as information for parents on the HSE website, there’s also a video animation for children, so you can watch it with your child. It explains exactly what happens, so your child feels reassured and understands the process. The video is available in English, Irish, 11 additional languages and Irish Sign Language.
Appointments
To book an appointment for the vaccination, it’s a really simple process where you can book a vaccination centre, time and date that suits you on the HSE website, up to 5 days in advance. The vaccine for younger children is a different formulation to the one for older children or adults, so make sure you pick a vaccination clinic for 5 to 11 year olds.
If your child has additional needs, they may need more time at their appointment, or a quieter appointment time with fewer people. To arrange one of these options, freephone HSELive on 1800 700 700, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm or Saturday and Sunday 9am to 5pm.
The HSE website also has details on giving your consent, what you need to bring in terms of ID and what happens at the vaccine centre.
Visit hse.ie for more information or to book an appointment.
