top of page

What do experts recommend?

Experts from UK, EU and US, as well as the WHO, take issues regarding vaccinations for children very seriously. There has been a lot of test looking at the benefits of vaccinating 5-17 years old versus the risk of contracting COVID 19. All experts agree that the vaccination of children (ages 5-17) is safe, and is much more effective than developing their immunity through contracting the virus itself. Based on the result of the studies, vaccination will give children approximately 90.7% protection against the Delta and Omicron variants, whereas acquired immunity from being infected by the virus is still to be determined.

Which vaccines are recommended?

At present, only the Pfizer Biotech (Cominarty) vaccine has the approval for use for children 5-17 years old from the UK, EU, US and the WHO. The Pfizer vaccine has been given to more than 302,000 children (as per November 2021) and the result show that the immune response was almost the same as that seen in the older population.

However, the recommended Pfizer vaccine dosage for 5-11 year olds is LOWER (10microgram) compared to that of the 12-17 years old (30microgram). The lower dose still gives the same level of protection as that for children 12 and above.

There should be a minimum time gap of 8-12 weeks between the 1st and the 2nd dose. A gap of 8 weeks after having a positive COVID Test result must be observed. 

Only 12-17 year olds are recommended for booster doses after 3 months of having the 2nd dose, while 5-11 years old are only approved for 2 doses at present.

What are the benefits of vaccinating children?

Although the number of children dying from COVID 19 is small compared to adults, some kids can become very ill with lung infections, and will need hospitalization if they contract the virus. The vaccine also reduces the spread of the virus to other family members, since most children infected with COVID 19 will not display any symptoms.


Experts now think that vaccination can help stop other variants from emerging; reducing the virus’ chance to spread also reduces its chances of mutating and creating new variants. This will give the children greater chances of going back to school, playing with friends and doing the things that they enjoy.

What are the side effects?

Just as it is in adults, the vaccine must be given via injection through the muscle at the top of the arm. This may cause pain on the injection site and redness in the area. The vaccine must react to the child’s immune system so the body can develop the protection that it needs; as a result, the child may experience headache, muscle ache, chills or tiredness. These side effects are very mild and will improve after a few days. Paracetamol 5oomg, 3 times a day may be given to help the child feel better. Please ensure the child does not have any allergies to paracetamol before giving the medicine. Ask for your doctor’s advice if you are not sure of your child’s allergies.

Rare side effect:

There are reports from April 2021 recording cases of inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) and inflammation of the lining outside the heart (pericarditis) after having COVID vaccinations in the US. According to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the reported cases are few and occur more in males between 15-25 years old, within a few days after receiving the 2nd dose. These rare side effects are mild and easy to treat. If your child is experiencing shortness of breath, chest pain, or feels that their heart is beating fast, and strong, please take them to the doctor right away. Don’t forget to mention that the child has had a COVID vaccine prior to the symptoms. 


Considering the hundreds of millions of COVID-19 vaccine doses that have been given to children across the world, these reports are very rare. The experts state that inflammation of the heart muscle is a much more common complication of having COVID 19 itself, rather than getting it from vaccination.

bottom of page