Why kids should still get Covid-19 jabs despite heart swelling risk
Children should receive their Covid-19 vaccines despite the risk of them developing myocarditis or inflammation of the heart muscle because the virus is far more dangerous, leading virologist Dr Yong Poovorawan said in a Facebook comment on Sunday.
Citing a study on boys and girls aged 12-15 that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine on January 26, he said boys were more at risk of developing myocarditis after receiving their second Pfizer jab.
“The ratio of boys at risk of myocarditis stood at one to 12,361, while that of girls was 10 times lower at one for every 144,439,” he said.
However, he said, most myocarditis patients had developed mild symptoms and could be cured without requiring treatment.
The study was conducted on 400,000 teenagers who had received their first jab and 320,000 who had received their second jab.
“With the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, children should receive their jabs to cut down the chance of severe infection. However, it is still up to the parents on whether they want their children to receive a jab or not,” he said.
Earlier, the Thai Food and Drug Administration has approved Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines for children aged six and above for parents to choose as an alternative.
“So far, some 29,752 children aged between five and 11 have received their jab. The Public Health Ministry recommends eight weeks before the second jab is administered,” government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said. "Hospitals have set up separate vaccination points for children to ensure the vaccination drive goes smoothly.”
As of Monday, Thailand’s total caseload from Covid-19 stands at 2,507,471 – 2,392,384 of whom have recovered, 92,784 are still in hospitals and 22,303 have died.
Separately, another 11,063 people were given their first Covid-19 shot in the last 24 hours, 15,217 their second shot and 190,258 a booster, bringing the total number of Covid-19 vaccine doses administered nationwide to 117,094,785.
