Vaccination for the 12-14 year age group began in India from today (Mar 16). Children in the age group will receive the first shot of Corbevax vaccine with the second one to be given after 28 days. Till now only people aged 15 years and above were being given the vaccine against Coronavirus.
Parents have to register their children in this age group on the Cowin portal or Aarogya Setu mobile app. Children can also get registered at the vaccination centre.
Since there is no permanent cure for Coronavirus, for now, vaccination is the only potent weapon to fight against it. In the last wave, it was evident how vaccination prevented serious illness and death due to coronavirus.
As for the side effects of the vaccine, parents should not panic if their children suffer from mild pain and fever after the vaccination as these are the common aftereffects that subside in a day or two. Also, parents must counsel children about why the vaccination is important since kids usually dread getting jabbed.
Here are the five things that you can do as a parent before you take your child to a vaccination centre:
Talk to a doctor
If you have any questions about vaccination, ask your doctor. Your doctor can give you complete information about the vaccine. This can help you understand what the benefits and side effects of the vaccine may be. This can help you deal with problems later on.
Know about side effects
Sometimes children can have minor side effects after getting the shots, including injection site pain, rash, or fever. These reactions are normal and may go away soon. Get complete information related to this from your doctor.
How to deal with side effects
To deal with the symptoms felt after vaccination, it is important to get complete information from the doctor. Redness, soreness, or swelling may occur at the injection site. The doctor may advise you to use a cool and damp cloth to deal with it.
How to deal with fever
The child may feel mild or high fever after getting the vaccine. Consult a doctor to deal with it. He may recommend a cold sponge bath. Give more fluids after vaccination. It is normal for some children to eat less during the 24 hours after being vaccinated. Ask your doctor if you can give your child a non-aspirin pain reliever. Pay extra attention to your baby for a few days. If you see something that worries you, go to the doctor.
Counsel the children
Children should be mentally prepared for the vaccine and should be told about it. Covid-19 is not something hidden and everyone, including the children, know how the disease rattled the entire world in the last few years. So they can easily understand why getting the shot is important for them.
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