Dear Editor,
The Minister of Education has stated that there will be vaccines given to children between the 5-11 age ranges commencing on November 19, 2021. I fully endorse the sentiments of the letter writer “mother of a seven year old child” published in yesterday’s Stabroek News newspaper. One remains unclear as to whether the Government of Guyana has procured the specific pediatric Pfizer vaccines which have been shipped across the United States. In order to prevent a mistake, Pfizer has prepared the pediatric vaccines in different-sized vials with different coloured orange caps than the adult vaccines. The dose and concentration of the pediatric vaccine is different.
Is it as simple as saying that it is one-third of the adult dose and hence we administer one-third? In Virginia recently there was a situation where 100 children were given the wrong dose when that very situation transpired. The children were given one third of the adult dose and as such the volume of liquid was so small that it was unlikely that the children received the full dose https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GDmjwayzy7o In order to properly vaccinate our children, it is necessary for the Guyana Government to take steps to procure the properly certified Pfizer pediatric vaccines which are currently being given to the children across the United States.
The Minister of Education in her anxiety to have schools reopened cannot sacrifice the safety and well-being of the most precious commodity of our nation, our young children. Those in authority have the capacity to understand that children between this age ranges from the most vulnerable group of persons at risk of contracting this virus. Therefore, the only prudent course of action is to secure the certified Pfizer pediatric vaccines since it has been proven that the splitting of the adult doses may lead to a false sense of security when in fact the dose is insufficient to provide that necessary immunity.
Parents across this land have made every sacrifice to ensure the safety of their children. It is reckless and callous to attempt to circumvent the proper course of obtaining pediatric doses by utilizing adult vaccines in a reduced dose. This is a recipe for disaster.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Isaacs