Cases Increase, Government Asked To Prepare COVID-19 Vaccines For Children

Illustration (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The government is asked to prepare steps to provide vaccines for children. Considering that recently many children have tested positive for COVID-19.

One of the steps that can be taken to support the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine in children is to conduct clinical trials.

"So, until now there has been no clinical trial process (COVID-19 vaccine) for children. To provide the vaccine, a clinical trial process is needed, when clinical trials have been declared safe, then the vaccine can be given to children," said the Chair of the Elected Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association (PB IDI), doctor Adib Khumaidi, as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, June 22.

Doctor Adib explained that from data compiled by the Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI) the increase in COVID-19 cases in children increased along with the entry of the delta variant in Indonesia.

IDAI revealed that at least 1 in 8 cases of COVID-19 were cases of children.

The comparison shows that children are a category that is also at risk of contracting COVID-19 along with people with comorbidities and the elderly.

Even Indonesia is ranked first in the highest mortality rate in the world for the category of children exposed to COVID-19 with a record case fatality rate of 3-5 percent according to IDAI.

As for what parents must do at a critical time when COVID-19 threatens their children, it is not to let their guard down on health protocols and not to invite their children to leave the house if it is not necessary.

“These children are not just victims. They can also act as carriers (if exposed to COVID-19) for their parents and grandparents," said Adib.

For this reason, he hopes that the government can take steps to start preparing the provision of COVID-19 vaccines for children.

“We hope that the government will also seek to vaccinate children. We hope so soon," he said.