Covid vaccination. Covid vaccination for children: Indian experts optimistic; UK Body apprehensive

As UK's vaccine advisory body refrains from recommending universal Covid-19 vaccination for healthy children in the 12-15 age group, parents and pediatricians in India appear to be more optimistic.

Doctors are looking forward to using the children’s vaccines that are ready for use or under trial in India, especially as schools begin to open in various States. And while they are hopeful that more data would continue to be generated on the vaccines use in children, there are no major side-effects that are being flagged, presently, they observe.

Recently, the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation had said that the vaccines (mRNA vaccines, in this case) offered only a “marginal” gain to the healthy children. The benefit was “too small to support universal Covid-19 vaccination for this age group at this time,” the expert group said, leaving it to the UK health authorities to take a decision.

Speaking on the significance of UK expert body's opinion on universal vaccination of children, Dr Nishchal Bhatt, Child specialist and member of Gujarat Government's Covid-19 Task Force, said, "In India we see a different approach on vaccines. Most parents are eagerly awaiting a vaccine for children to make them safe and send them worry-free to schools or out in public," Dr Bhatt said adding that some more data on vaccine effects on children would be needed before arriving at a final decision.

"Currently, there is no research that speaks about vaccine side-effect on children in India. We still have couple of months time for actual roll-out of universal children vaccination. So if during this period, any major research agency comes out with findings on the need for vaccination for children, that will be helpful in decision-making," said Dr Bhatt.

While global developments on child vaccination is being closely watched, experts in India maintain a cautious but optimistic stance.

Dr Piyush Gupta, President of Indian Academy of Pediatrics maintained that while there were biological reasons for children being less vulnerable to Covid-19 infections or having less severity, vaccines are still required to prevent the infection. "If the regulatory body and trials have shown vaccinations to be effective and safe, then it can be carried out."

It was observed that healthy kids exposed to a covid patient in the family showed no major effects. Even when infected, the children mostly recover with administration of basic medication and hydration.

Dr Gupta said, "Therefore, it is not insisted upon to vaccinate children before sending them to schools. It is equally good, if we cordon around the children with vaccinated elders like parents, teachers, other support staff. This will give them ring protection."

But kids can be the carriers of the virus to infect the adults and the elderly. And experts have also underlined the threat of Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) due to Covid-19. While the exact cause of MIS-C is still not clear, evidences indicate many children with MIS-C had exposure to Covid-19. Considering these risks, vaccine is a safer bet to reduce mortality, contain the spread of the infection prevent complications in children.

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