Since October 31, 2021, when the National Government approved the vaccination against COVID-19 for children aged 3 to 11 years, thousands of Colombian children have received doses of Sinovac. However, a recent report by the Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social, evidenced that 40% of the child population in Colombia has not yet been vaccinated.
“At this moment, a total of four million children of school age have been inoculated against the virus in the country, representing 57% of this population. However, we must reach 100 percent. We want them all protected and happy in their classrooms”, said Claudia Cuellar, Deputy Director of Communicable Diseases at Minsalud.
In this regard, Dr. Gonzalo Gómez Patiño, director of UISALUD, said that “although the incidence of COVID-19 in children between 3 and 11 years of age is lower compared to other age ranges, this does not mean that there is no risk”.
In the case of UISALUD users between 3 and 11 years of age, of the total number of prioritized children (174), 68% have received their first dose (68%); of this percentage, 82.2% have already received their second dose. Meanwhile, 39 children (22%) their parents or guardians have not accepted their vaccination and the remaining have not received the biological, either because they are symptomatic, because they are in the post-covid stage or due to other circumstances.
“You are invited to parents or guardians of children to protect them, vaccination is one of the best ways to strengthen their defenses, not only with the COVID-19, but with all the vaccines that have been applied over the years. It is necessary to not be afraid, vaccinating our children is an act of love”, said the director of UISALUD.
According to a report made by experts from the Faculty of Health of the Universidad Industrial de Santander, “results of two phase 3 trials in adults and a phase 1/2 trial in children have been taken as evidence of the safety of this vaccine”.
According to the National Institute of Health, in Colombia in 2020 lethality in children decreased notably and has remained stable in 2021, even during the third and highest epidemic peak of COVID-19 in the country, and mortality due to COVID-19 has been 5.3 per million children between 3 and 11 years of age (6.6 in 2020 and 5.0 in 2021).
The population group between 3 and 11 years of age is being vaccinated with Sinovac, which has proven to be effective, safe and fully available in the country.
More than 400,000 children have suffered from COVID-19 and 253 children under 18 have died so far in the pandemic, according to indicators from the Ministerio de Salud y Protección Social.
Is it safe to apply Sinovac? LuisSalud responds
There are clinical studies that show that the vaccine is safe for pediatric population between 3 and 11 years old. Likewise, both the Colombian Society of Infectious Diseases and the Colombian Society of Pediatrics invite parents to vaccinate their children.
UISALUD! users, please note that to start, complete the scheme or apply the COVID-19 booster, you can go to the nearest vaccination point or call 318 6274166 and 318 3400292 to make an appointment. You can also write to us at uisalud.mivacuna@uis.edu.co
See infographic Behavior COVID-19 – UISALUD affiliates BULLETIN N° 43[+]