COVID VACCINES: ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR KIDS AND TEENS IN THIS TIME OF PANDEMIC

The pandemic impacted almost every aspect of life: it slowed global economies, changed the way we work and communicate with our loved ones, and strained healthcare systems to their breaking point. Because of the virus's rapid spread, governments worldwide have been obliged to impose severe limits on human activities. COVID-19 vaccine is now providing a way out of this pandemic phase. Without vaccines, the government would have required strong behavioral limitations for an extended period of time. Many scientists believe that natural herd immunity would not have been enough to restore society to its pre-disaster state, resulting in extensive mortality and devastation. This sentiment had been noticed by several health organizations, including the World Health Organization.

 

Vaccines have been the subject of substantial debate over the years regarding their safety, although no solid proof of harm has been discovered thus far. You may be unaware of the importance of immunizing your adolescent against COVID-19 infection at first. After all, young people typically show no or minor signs when it comes to getting the disease. As a result, they are less likely than older adults to be hospitalized or die due to COVID-19 infection. However, it is vital that adults above the age of 12 receive immunizations as soon as possible and that younger children receive vaccinations as soon as they are eligible.

Furthermore, while any vaccination can cause a negative reaction in children, it is crucial to remember that the advantages of immunization much outweigh any potential negative consequences. Vaccines are important for many reasons, one of which is that they protect children and adolescents from a wide range of diseases, including the potentially fatal COVID-19 infection. A risk-free environment does not always imply a low risk of infection. Children and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 17 account for more than 10% of all COVID-19 cases in the Philippines, translating to approximately 2.3 million children and adolescents. Although deaths in this age group are unusual, they do occur. Teens are also at risk for multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a rare but possibly catastrophic COVID-19 adverse event. According to Dr. O'Connor, "teenagers are quite significant in terms of virus transmission." According to the CDC, it "helps safeguard the larger public." Thus to achieve herd immunity against COVID-19, approximately 80-85 percent of the population must be vaccinated or immune from the previous infection. On the other hand, teenagers generally have asymptomatic infections or minor symptoms, allowing them to go about their normal lives while the virus spreads. When herd immunity is acquired, we will be able to return to a more normal way of life than before the pandemic. Until we can deploy novel mitigation measures, we must continue to apply proven effective mitigation strategies such as masking, social distance, and satisfying size limitations.

 Getting vaccinated can be a terrifying experience, especially if you're afraid of needles like me. While it may be frightening at times, remember that these things are there to protect you, not hurt you. They exist to protect us from illness while also keeping us healthy. Our children have received immunizations against potentially fatal diseases like polio, tetanus, and diphtheria. Vaccinations help protect other children by eliminating or significantly restricting the spread of potentially deadly diseases that could formerly pass down from child to child. Vaccinations also bring us closer together, bringing us closer to ending the worldwide pandemic. 

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