14 Aug 2020 | 4 min Read
Preeti Athri
Author | 117 Articles
The Covid-19 pandemic has left most of us feeling uncertain about leading normal lives. Social distancing norms have restricted our movement outside the house. Due to these limitations, some of us may have missed few vaccinations as per our child’s schedule or are probably wondering if it is ok to skip a vaccine till the situation improves.
It has been observed worldwide that since March 2020, routine childhood immunisation services have been disrupted on a worldwide scale. The reasons for disruption could be varied. Some parents are reluctant to leave home because of restrictions on movement, lack of information or because they fear infection with the Covid-19 virus. Many health workers are unavailable because of restrictions on travel, or redeployment to COVID response duties, as well as a lack of protective equipment.
However, renowned health bodies like Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintain that vaccinations are essential services and help make sure that children are protected.
Intergovernmental organisations like Unicef and World Health Organisation (WHO) stress that timely vaccination is key to protect both young and old from serious life-threatening diseases and infections. WHO also recommends that interrupted immunisations for any age groups should be resumed and catch-up vaccinations offered as fast as possible.
You can now follow your baby’s recommended vaccine schedule as per your pediatrician’s advice. All you need to ensure is that you exercise caution and follow necessary precautions.
Many mothers are pushing aside their reservations about vaccinating their baby during the pandemic and stepping out to ensure that their little ones are immunised on time.
Madhurima Bhattacharya shares that she stepped out to vaccinate her 18-month-old baby against Hepatitis-A during the lockdown. “I knew I had to vaccinate my baby as per schedule as waiting would mean exposing her to different illnesses once the lockdown ended. I took all the necessary precautions to visit the pediatrician’s clinic. I wore a mask, travelled by my personal vehicle, made sure my daughter wore fully covered clothes and visited exactly during the time slot provided by the doctor. The doctor was dressed in PPE and the consulting room was sanitised between two patients. Once home, I changed my clothes and my daughter’s clothes immediately and washed mine and her hands thoroughly.”
More children are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases than at any point in history. It is time for us to take precautions and trust in the power of timely vaccinations to safeguard our children’s health. Consult your pediatrician for more information, today!
References:
https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/22-05-2020-at-least-80-million-children-under-o
ne-at-risk-of-diseases-such-as-diphtheria-measles-and-polio-as-covid-19-disrupts-routine-vaccination-efforts-warn-gavi-who-and-unicef
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/visit/vaccination-during-COVID-19.html
https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/disease-prevention/vaccines-and-immunization/q-and-a-on-vaccination-during-the-covid-19-pandemic (for infographic)
Image reference- www.shutterstock.com id 1063688453
Disclaimer:
Information appearing in this material is for general awareness only. Nothing contained in this material constitutes medical advice. Please consult your physician for medical queries, if any, or any question or concern you may have regarding your condition. Issued in public interest by GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Limited. Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 030, India. NP-IN-GVX-OGM-200048, DOP July 2020.
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