Some health authorities are expected to discuss data on the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 5-11. A research study by Professor Samuel Wong, School Director, and Professor Kwok Kin-on revealed that nearly 80% parents were not likely to accept COVID-19 vaccination for their child.
JC School of Public Health and Primary Care conducted an online survey between 26 February and 27 April 2021 among public primary schools, and received responses from 349 parents. Here are the main findings:
• Parents were less likely to accept COVID-19 vaccination for their child (21.2%) than for themselves (36.1%). • Groups more likely to accept vaccination for their child include parents: 1. with secondary education or less; 2. with higher in intentions to travel outside HK; 3. who received seasonal influenza vaccine; 4. who had confidence in vaccines and authorities.
"The higher actual influenza vaccination rate among children due to school-based vaccination outreach programmes suggests that schools are seemingly viable platforms to promote COVID-19 vaccines for children. Ongoing research needs to explore ways for the possibilities of co-administration of both COVID-19 and influenza vaccine on children in terms of safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy profile. A recent preprint study on 679 adults in the UK administering an influenza vaccine at the same time as a second dose of a covid-19 vaccine (Pfizer and AZ) produced no safety concerns and preserves the immune response to both vaccines." commented Professor Kwok. "Second, countries enforcing COVID-19 vaccine passport might motivate parents who have future family travel plans to vaccinate their children."
Full article on Clinical Microbiology and Infection:
多個地區衞生部門預計會討論新冠疫苗對5至11歲兒童的效用及安全性。學院院長黃仰山教授及郭健安助理教授早前進行研究，以了解小學生家長對新冠疫苗的接受程度，發現大部份家長對子女接種新冠疫苗感到猶豫。研究團隊今年二月至四月向公營小學發信，收回349份有效網上問卷，研究主要結果：
• 僅21.2%家長有意為子女接穜新冠疫苗，低於家長願意為自己接種疫苗的比例(36.1%)。 • 較樂意為子女接種疫苗的家長包括： 1. 教育程度為中學或以下 2. 有意到訪海外地區 3. 曾接種季節性流感疫苗 4. 對疫苗及政府部門有信心
郭健安教授指出，參考過去季節性流感疫苗到校接種計劃，若以到校形式提供新冠疫苗接種服務，相信有效提升學童疫苗接種率。他引述英國最新一份預印研究，結果顯示成人同時接種流感疫苗及新冠疫苗並沒有出現不良免疫反應，大部份人有輕微至中度副作用，包括接種位置疼痛﹑疲勞﹑頭痛及肌肉酸痛等，認為未來研究應探討為兒童同時接種流感及新冠疫苗的可行性，以提高兒童同時接種兩種疫苗的比例。 他又認為，若外國推行「疫苗護照」，准許已接種疫苗人士入境，可提升有意出遊的家長為子女接種疫苗的意欲。
研究刊於Clinical Microbiology and Infection，全文：
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