Coronavirus has infected more than 100,000 children in the country, of which 211 lost their lives to the viral infection due to different complications.
In a press conference held in Karachi on Wednesday, leading pediatricians from all over the country appealed to the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) to start the vaccination of children aged 12 to 14 against COVID-19.
They also requested parents to ensure vaccination of their children aged 15 to 17 in order to protect them from the infection and for the uninterrupted continuation of the academic process.
President of Pakistan Pediatric Association (PPA), Professor Jamal Raza, said that developed countries are using Pfizer’s mRNA Coronavirus vaccine to vaccinate children aged 12 to 17. The NCOC is recommended to follow suit as Pfizer’s vaccine has already demonstrated effectiveness and safety in the said age group.
He also pointed out that the existing ‘consent form’ designed to seek the consent of parents before vaccinating their children aged 15 to 17 on the premises of their educational institutes has a complex format, which has confused parents.
He requested the NCOC to make the format of the ‘consent form’ simpler by redesigning it so that children can get vaccinated at their schools and colleges in accordance with the consent of their parents as well.
