According to new advice published on WHO’s website earlier this week, healthy kids and teenagers probably don’t require COVID-19 immunizations any longer.
Last week, WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, also referred to as SAGE, decided to update the official COVID immunization schedule.
That being said, in complete accordance with the “risk of serious illness and death” when getting the virus, the updated roadmap divides the priority areas into 3 different categories, namely high, medium, as well as low.
Therefore, as you can imagine, healthy kids between the ages of 6 months and 17 years are now seen as low priority.
The organizarion says that “traditional essential vaccines” for conditions such as rotavirus, polio, measles and pneumococcal conjugate have a stronger effect on this age category.
SAGE Chair Dr. Hanna Nohynek stated in a press release via the official WHO website that “Updated to reflect that most of the population is either vaccinated or was previously infected with COVID, or both, the revised roadmap reemphasizes the importance of vaccinating people still at risk of severe disease, which is mostly older adults and those suffering from underlying conditions.”
The medical expert went on to say that “Countries should consider their unique context in deciding whether or not to continue vaccinating low risk groups, such as healthy children and teens, while not compromising the routine vaccines so crucial for the health and wellbeing of this age group.”
WHO also recommended that kids with weak immune systems or pre-existing medical problems still get the COVID-19 immunization owing to the high risk of life threatening illness.
Also because of the possible serious side effects of COVID-19, it is advised that infants under the age of 6 months old take the vaccination as well.
For the maximum safety of the mother and fetus, the advice finally recommends that pregnant women receive all recommended vaccinations.
With that being said, kids and teens are given lower priority for the vaccine unless they’re obese, have other chronic conditions or are particularly at risk, according to clinical professor Dr. Marc Siegel.
Dr. Siegel told Fox News Digital that “The vaccine you had 2 or more years ago may have almost completely worn off by now. But this change in prioritization isn’t the same thing as saying they should not have the COVID vaccines. The question that’s emerged recently is how many COVID-19 shots are enough. The difficulty with universities mandating it’s that the vaccine you had 2 or more years ago may have almost completely worn off by now. Natural immunity after infection must be included as immune protection, as well as the amount of COVID-19 still around. This means that the vaccine remains a valuable tool.”
Dr. Siegel also noted that the new research has indicated that immunization reduces the likelihood of prolonged COVID symptoms in people of all ages.
