The MMA has assured the public that the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 can be administered to children aged 12 to 17. — Bernama photo
KUCHING (Aug 18): The Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) has assured the public that it is safe for children aged 12 to 17 to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
MMA president Prof Datuk Dr Subramaniam Muniandy said this was based on the latest research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States.
“Yes, it’s safe. CDC in the US has said the Pfizer vaccine is safe for this age group,” he said when contacted.
He pointed out the commonest adverse event occurring more frequently in vaccinated individuals is myocarditis — inflammation of the heart muscle.
“However, it is usually self-limiting and causes no serious disease. It’s commoner in males,” he explained.
He said generally the advice to vaccine recipients in this age group would be to avoid strenuous exercise for five to seven days post-vaccination.
Dr Subramaniam pointed out that Israel and the US are already vaccinating this age group, while the United Kingdom is vaccinating those aged 16 to 17.
In one of its latest reports, the CDC stated that cases of myocarditis and pericarditis in adolescents and young adults have been reported more often after getting the second dose than after the first dose of one of the two mRNA Covid-19 vaccines — Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.
The centre said the reports are rare and the known and potential benefits of Covid-19 vaccination outweigh the known and potential risks, including the possible risk of myocarditis or pericarditis.
In a circular dated Aug 12, Health director-general Tan Sri Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said those aged 12 to 15 with health conditions and those aged 16 to 17, with or without health conditions, would be getting their Covid-19 vaccine jab from next month.