Israelis should vaccinate their children against COVID-19 – editorial

The decision on Wednesday night by the pandemic response team and the Advisory Committee on Vaccines to approve Pfizer-BioNTech shots for children aged 5-11 came at a crucial moment in the evolution of the pandemic. While young children usually do not have a severe case of the virus, they can pass it on to others.

Of the 75 health experts, 73 voted in a secret ballot in favor of approval, and 57 supported the vaccination of children who have recovered from the virus. Still, most experts agree that persuading parents to vaccinate their children won’t be easy.

According to the committee’s decision, children ages 5 to 11 will soon be eligible for a child-sized dose of the corona vaccine, as the first shipment is expected to arrive in Israel next week.

Since June, Pfizer shots were already recommended in Israel for anyone 12 or older. The decision requires the approval of Dr Nachman Aish, Director General, Ministry of Health before it can take effect.

Following their approval, the public health system will launch a nationwide vaccination campaign. Health Minister Nitzen Horowitz said that once the campaign begins, the ministry will make all necessary arrangements from the country’s four health funds in cooperation with the IDF Home Front Command.

“We will make all information accessible to parents, and each parent will make their own decisions regarding their children,” Horowitz said. He insisted that there would be no coercion. “We are not imposing it on anyone nor need it from anyone. We are telling how good and important it is.”

Corona Jar Prof. Salman Zarka said: “In the first phase, we will prioritize health funds because we believe that at these ages, parents will want to be more involved and come to clinics with their children to receive vaccines. . In any case There will be no limit.”

Dr. Tal Brosh, head of the health ministry’s pandemic team, said the ministry “wants to administer the shots within a shorter time-frame of three weeks – as we did with adults – because it builds immunity faster.”

Brosch said the team would discuss at their next meeting whether there were grounds for extending the time limit between shots.

“It’s a complicated issue,” Brosh said. “The relevant data is not yet satisfactory, and the final word on the matter has yet to be said.”

The health ministry’s vaccination campaign and the Green Pass system have faced some public resistance. At the request of committee members, Wednesday evening’s deliberations and the committee’s vote on immunization of children were not broadcast to the public due to concerns about the public backlash.

However, the Israel Pediatric Association last week issued a position paper supporting the vaccination of children over the age of 5. According to the paper, from the start of the epidemic in Israel to last month, 398 children were hospitalized with moderate, severe or severe condition. to COVID. The paper states that the Pfizer study shows that vaccination of children ages 5 to 11 “has an excellent safety profile.”

We can only agree and urge parents to go ahead and vaccinate their children once the campaign starts. If we are to survive the fifth wave, it is imperative that as many people as possible – from young children to the elderly – be vaccinated.