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SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (Dec 31) said it was aware of a video circulating on social media containing “misinformation” regarding the COVID-19 vaccination exercise for children aged five to 11.
The video also contained “claims that the vaccine is experimental and unsafe for children”, and that in the event of any severe adverse event post-vaccination, it is “not the Government’s problem”, said the ministry.
“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,” said MOH in a Facebook post.
Singapore approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged five to 11 earlier this month and began administering jabs on Monday.
MOH added the vaccine has been approved by several regulatory authorities around the world, based on data collated through “comprehensive international clinical trials”.
It said that during Phase 3 of these trials, the vaccines were administered to more than 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,” said MOH.
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Other side effects such as fever, chills, fatigue and headache were reported less frequently and were milder in children aged five to 11 than in adults and adolescents, said MOH on Friday.
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VIDEO “DISTORTED” PURPOSE OF VACCINATION CONSENT FORM
The video also distorted the purpose of the vaccination consent form, said MOH.
The consent form is to obtain the informed consent of the parent or guardian for the child or ward to receive the vaccine, after having reviewed and considered the risk 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,” said the Health Ministry.
It added that 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.
weehingthong 