Donegal parents urged to get information on Covid-19 vaccination ‘from a trusted source’

Parents are being encouraged to familiarise themselves with advice issued on the vaccination of children against Covid-19 after the vaccination of children aged five to 11 began at the weekend.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) said there has been a positive uptake in registration numbers for children aged five to 11.

It said clinical trials showed that this vaccine was highly effective at preventing Covid-19 in children. 

Dr Anthony Breslin, director of public health with the HSE in the north-west, said parents do have questions and concerns about the Covid-19 vaccine. 

“Parents should get their information from a trusted source, such as www.hse.ie or a medical professional when making the decision to vaccinate their child,” he said.

“The vaccine offers protection for children and young people who have health conditions that put them at high risk of severe Covid-19 and protection for healthy children and young people from severe Covid-19 – although this is very rare in this age group. It also offers protection from Covid-19, and complications from Covid-19 such as long Covid and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in children. It may also help prevent the spread of Covid-19 to others. This is especially important if children and young people are living with a younger child or an adult who is at risk of severe Covid-19.”

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HSE advice states that though serious illness from Covid-19 is rare in the five to 11 age group, they are even less likely to become seriously ill with Covid-19, if they are vaccinated.  It may also help prevent the spread of Covid-19 to others and this is especially important if children and young people are living with someone who is at risk of severe Covid-19, the HSe says.

The children’s vaccine, Comirnarty/Pfizer BioNTech, has been recommended by the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) and approved by the European Medicines Agency.

Children can be registered for vaccination online. Parents will need a Personal Public Service (PPS) number, Eircode, a mobile phone number and an email address. Alternatively, parents can call HSELive on 1800 700 700 to register their child over the phone.

Children who don’t have a PPSN can be vaccinated as their parents can register them on the phone with HSElive.

Once a parent registers their child, they will receive a text message with details of their appointment. The children’s Covid-19 vaccine is only available in the vaccination centres. 

In line with NIAC guidance, children aged 5 to 11 years old will be offered a Comirnaty (Pfizer/BioNTech) vaccine. The vaccine for children is a smaller dose than the vaccine for adults. They will need two doses approximately three weeks apart. 

A parent or legal guardian will need to give consent for their child to get their Cocvid-19 vaccine. If a parent registers online, they will be sent a text message with a link to give consent before the appointment for vaccination. This will be sent to the number you used to register.

A parent or legal guardian will need go to the appointment in person to give consent if they have not given consent online or they have registered by phone as it is not possible to give consent over the phone.

Most children aged five to 11 will be vaccinated at a vaccination centre near their home. They will need to be accompanied by an adult. Children attending alone will not be vaccinated.