‘Oku taupotu i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga
The new Covid-19 vaccine for under-5s at risk of severe disease should be considered for all children in the age group given their high infection rate, a epidemiologist says.
From today, a version of the paediatric Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine is available for children aged 6 months to 4 years at higher risk of severe illness if they were to catch Covid-19.
National Immunisation Programme director Astrid Koornneef said the vaccine contained a lower dose of mRNA that had been formulated for this age group and approved by Medsafe.
It is a three-dose course, with the second dose given three weeks after the first, followed by a third dose at least eight weeks after the second.
Following Medsafe approval, the Covid-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group recommended the vaccine be approved for use in children who are severely immunocompromised, or who have complex and/or multiple health conditions which increase the risk of severe disease, Koornneef said.
University of Otago epidemiologist Dr Amanda Kvalsvig said this would better protect children with underlying conditions, but it was worth questioning why the choice was not being offered to all families, as was the case in the United States.
During the Omicron waves last year, children under the age of 5 were the highest infected age group, Kvalsvig said.
Between February and October 2022, three in four children aged 1-4 years (75.4%) tested positive for Covid-19, she said, citing the WellKiwis study of respiratory infections.
“Serious outcomes from Covid-19 are fortunately rare in this age group, but because the disease spreads so easily in young children, the impacts can be high.
“US figures show that Covid-19 infection is the seventh-highest cause of death in the 1-4 year age group, ahead of many other conditions that children are vaccinated against.”
The vaccine is available for children aged 6 months to 4 years who have the following health conditions:
- chronic lung disease including bronchiectasis, cystic fibrosis, BiPAP for OSA (excluding mild, controlled asthma)
- complex congenital heart disease, acquired heart disease or congestive heart failure
- diabetes (insulin-dependent)
- chronic kidney disease
- severe cerebral palsy (or severe neurodisability including neuromuscular disorders)
- complex genetic, metabolic disease or multiple congenital anomalies for example trisomy 21/Downs Syndrome
- primary or acquired immunodeficiency
- haematologic malignancy and/or post-transplant (solid organ or HSCT in last 24 months)
- on immunosuppressive treatment including chemotherapy, high-dose corticosteroids, biologics or DMARDS.
Koornneef said children who were not in any of the high-risk categories had a low likelihood of severe illness from Covid-19, so they would not need or be eligible for the vaccine.
FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA
‘Oku pehē ‘e ha mataotao ‘i he mala’e ‘o e faito’o ‘oku ‘i ai ha faito’o fo’ou ‘o e Kōviti – 19 ki he longa’i fānau si’i hifo ‘i he ta’u 5, pea ‘oku taau ke fakatokanga’i ‘eni ‘e he fānau kotoa pē ‘oku lahi hono uesia ‘i he vaa’i ta’u ko ‘eni.
Mei he ‘aho ni, ko e faito’o malu’i ko ia ‘o e Kōviti – 19, ko e Pfizer kuo ‘i ai ha toe fakafo’ou ‘o ‘atā ia ke ngāue’aki ki he fānau ko ia ‘i he vaha’a ‘o e māhina ‘e ono ki he ta’u fā kapau ‘oku ma’u kinautolu ‘e he Kōviti – 19 pea ‘oku nau tu’u ‘i ha tu’unga ‘oku fakatu’utāmaki.
Na’e pehē ‘e he talekita ‘o e polokalama huhu malu’i, Astrid Koornneed, ko e faito’o malu’i ko ‘eni ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e ivi faito’o ai ‘o e mRNA ‘a ia na’e ngaohi ki he vaa’i ta’u ko ‘eni pea na’e faka’atā ke ngāue’aki ‘e he Medsafe pe potungāue ‘oku nau pule’i ‘a e ngaahi me’a fakafaito’o ‘a Nu’usila.
Na’e pehē ‘e Koornneef, ko e fo’i huhu tu’o tolu ia ‘e fakahoko, ‘a ia ko e huhu hono ua ‘e fai ia ‘i he ‘osi ha uike ‘e tolu mei he ‘uluaki huhu pea toki hoko mai ai ‘a e huhu hono tolu ‘i ha ‘osi ha uike ‘e valu mei he huhu hono ua.
Ko e hili ko ia hono tali ‘e he Medsafe ke ngāue’aki, na’e fokotu’u mai leva ‘e he Kulupu Fale’i Fakatekinikale ki he Kōviti – 19, ko e faito’o malu’i ko ‘eni kuo faka’atāa ke ngāue’aki ki he longa’i fānau ‘oku ‘i he tu’unga fakatu’utāmaki honau ivi fakamalu’i pe ‘oku mata lahi mo faingata’a ‘a e tū’unga fakamo’ui lelei ‘oku nau ‘i ai.
Na’e pehē ‘e ha mataotao ia ‘i he mala’e ‘o e faito’o [epidemiologist] Dr Amanda Kvalsvig ‘o e ‘Univēsiti ‘Ōtako, ko e malu’i lelei ‘eni ki he longa’i fānau ‘oku ‘i ai honau mahaki tauhi, ka ‘oku sai ke fehu’ia ‘a e ‘uhinga ‘oku ‘ikai ngāue’aki ai ki he kotoa ‘o e ngaahi fāmili, ‘o hangē ko e keisi ko ‘eni ‘i he ngaahi vahefonua ‘o ‘Amelika.
⦁ ‘Oku holo ai pē ki lalo ‘a e toko lahi ko ia ‘o e Kōviti – 19 ki he toko valuafe valungeau valungofulu mā ua [8882] ‘o e ngaahi keisi fo’ou na’e lipooti mai.
Lolotonga ‘o e ta’au ko ia ‘a e Omicron ‘i he ta’u kuo ‘osi, na’e pehē ai ‘e Kvalsvig, ko e longa’i fānau si’i hifo ‘i he ta’u nima na’e lahi taha ‘enau puke.
Na’a ne pehē, ko e vaha’a ‘o Fepueli mo ‘Okatopa ‘o e 2022 ko e toko tolu mei he toko fā ‘o e fānau ta’u taha ki he ta’u fā [75.4%] na’e sivi ‘oku nau mo’ua ‘i he Koviti – 19 ‘o fakatatau ‘eni ki he fakatotolo ‘a e WellKiwis ki he uesia ko ia ‘o e halanga mānava.
Ko e fu’u to’u puke toko lahi faka’ulia ‘eni ia mo ta’e’amanekina ki he vaa’i ta’u ko ‘eni, ka koe’uhi ‘oku mafola vave ‘aupito ‘a e mahaki ni ia ‘i he longa’i fānau pea ko hono ola ‘e fu’u ma’olunga.
” ‘Oku hā mei he toko l;ahi ko ia ‘o e kau puke ‘i he Kōviti – 19 ‘i ‘Amelika, ko e fika fitu ma’olunga taha ia ‘o e tupu’anga ‘o e mate ‘a e longa’i fānau ta’u taha ki he ta’u fā, ‘o laka ange ia ‘i ha toe fokoutua ‘oku fai ai hano huhu malu’i kinautolu.”
‘Oku ‘atā ‘a e faito’o malu’i ko ‘eni ke ngāue’aki ‘e he longa’i fānau mei he māhina ono ki he ta’u fā, ‘a ia ‘oku ‘i he tūkunga mo’ui ko ‘eni :
⦁ mahaki’ia e ma’ama’a mo e halanga mānava
⦁ mahaki mafu
⦁ suka
⦁ mahaki’ia e kofuua
⦁ palopalema’ia e neave mo e uoua
⦁ palopalema faka’atamai
⦁ vaivai e ivi malu’i
⦁ fetongo ‘ōkani he sino
Na’e pehē ‘e Koornneef ko e fānau ko ē ‘oku ‘ikai ke nau kau kinautolu ki he kulupu ko ‘eni ‘oku nau ‘i he kalasi ‘o e tu’unga lavea-ngofua, ‘e si’i ‘aupito ha faingamālie ia ke nau puke ‘i he Kōviti – 19, ko ia ai, ‘oku ‘ikai fiema’u kinautolu ia ke nau kau atu ki he huhu malu’i.
