Covid-19: Why parents in Delhi are in two minds about getting their kids vaccinated

NEW DELHI: Even if Covid vaccines are made available for children in India in near future, many parents seem to prefer to wait before getting them jabbed. Several parents TOI spoke to cited various reasons behind their decision - from the belief that young children have a low risk of catching severe Covid, lack of research data available in the public domain on vaccine trials to small trial sizes.

In August, the Indian drug regulator granted an emergency approval use to Zydus Cadila's vaccine for children above 12 years. However, it is yet to become part of the vaccination programme. In the US, Food and Drug Administration has approved vaccination for children in the age group of 5-11 years.

Tanya Aggarwal, a lawyer and a parent of a Class I child, said, "Many doctors have said that unlike adults, young children have a low risk of severe Covid. Given this risk profile, small trial sizes and lack of long-term safety data, it's difficult to definitively say yes to Covid-19 vaccines for children."

Another parent, Mohit Goel, who has two children - one in Class X and the other in nursery, attributed his reluctance to lack of "reliable research data". "I will prefer not to vaccinate them now as reliable research data is not available about the efficiency of vaccine and its side-effects in the long run. Overall, two waves have passed, and children have shown considerable immunity against the virus with negligible cases," added Goel.

Satya Prakash, who lives in Rohini, however, will go for it if sufficient data is made available in the public domain. Prakash, who is also the president of Delhi Parents' Association, said, "Let the government publish the raw research data, observation and findings. Let me be assured that the finding is compatible and safe for my children, then I am willing."

Ravi Khatri, another parent, is also willing to vaccinate his children as he felt most people had taken a calculated risk and gone for the vaccine. "As far as the side-effects are concerned, this was also the case in adults' vaccination. I am willing to take the calculated risk of side-effects," he added.

Even Sumit Kumar, a parent of two daughter studying at schools in Vasant Kunj, favoured it. "All of us got vaccinated, so why should we risk our children's life! Once they get vaccinated, we can send them to school without any fear," he pointed out.

Another parent, who did not want to be named, however, would wait like many others. "Still studies are going on regarding the kids' vaccination and children have better immunity as compared to adults. I will wait for some more time before I get my children vaccinated."