The Ministry of Health published on Facebook that they are aware of a video that contains misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccination exercise for children aged 5 to 11.
Here is what MOH said:
The Ministry of Health (MOH) is aware of a video circulating on social media which contains misinformation regarding the COVID-19 vaccination exercise for children aged 5 to 11, including claims that the vaccine is experimental and unsafe for children, and that in the event of any severe adverse event (SAE) post-vaccination, it is “not the Government’s problem”.
The Pfizer/BioNTech mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years old is not experimental. It has been approved by several regulatory authorities around the world, based on data collated through comprehensive international clinical trials.
During Phase 3 of the clinical trials, the vaccines were administered to over 2,000 children of the age band, with no serious vaccine-related adverse events observed. Since then, millions of children have received the vaccination, with a recorded incidence rate of about 1 in a million for myocarditis, which is one of the serious adverse events of greatest concern. Side effects such as fever, chills, fatigue and headache were reported less frequently and were milder in children aged 5 to 11 years than in adults and adolescents.
On the other hand, amongst children who are infected with COVID-19, while the great majority experience mild symptoms and recover well, a small number suffered from Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C), which is a serious and life-threatening condition. Vaccination for children will be very effective in preventing such adverse outcomes from COVID-19 infection.
These are some of the key considerations that led to the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) and the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V), after reviewing international studies and clinical data, to conclude that the vaccine is safe and efficacious, and that the benefits of vaccination for children outweigh the risks.
In the unlikely event that a child experiences serious side effects that are assessed to be related to the vaccine, the child will be eligible for the Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme (VIFAP), so long as they are Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents or Long-Term Pass Holders.
The video also distorted the purpose of the vaccination consent form. The consent form is to obtain the informed consent of the parent/guardian for the child/ward to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, after having reviewed and considered the risks and benefits of the vaccination as outlined in the accompanying vaccination information sheet. This practice of obtaining informed consent is consistent with what is done for other medical procedures, including childhood vaccinations, such as Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR), Diphtheria, and Tetanus.
The video also falsely exaggerates the dangers and potential long-term side effects of COVID-19 vaccines for young children, and seeks to discourage parents from having their children vaccinated. This is a great disservice to our children, who need to be protected against COVID-19, especially with the impending emergence of an Omicron transmission wave.
We strongly encourage parents to have your children vaccinated if they are medically eligible, to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection and severe illness, and to keep your families and wider community safe. Remember, COVID-19 does not make you sign consent forms, does not inform you of the risk of infection, nor offer injury assistance. It will just infect and harm us. The fact that the Government is taking all these steps does not mean vaccines are therefore dangerous. They are good and correct policy and administrative practices.
It is up to us as a society to implement and support the right public health policies, and as individuals, to take care of ourselves and of one another, to keep our society and children as safe as possible.
MOH advises the public not to speculate and/or spread misinformation which may cause public alarm, and to refer to credible sources of information instead. Please visit www.moh.gov.sg for the latest information on COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccinations. For more information on the vaccination exercise for children aged 5 to 11, please visit https://www.moe.gov.sg/faqs-covid-19-infection.
