Child coronavirus vaccination stalls in the face of end-of-pandemic messages

In recent weeks, child vaccination against coronavirus has stalled. Only 55 percent of children between the ages of 5 and 11 have received the first dose when the government’s goal was to reach 70 percent this week. The messages about the end of the pandemic and that the omni variant is much weaker and sometimes resembles a cold, have made parents relax.

It started strong, but vaccination for children aged 5 to 11 has stalled in recent weeks. At the beginning of December the parents rushed to ask for an appointment for their children but days ago those requests have relaxed. Among the causes, it seems that the message has spread that we must start treating the covid like a flu, that we must coexist with the virus or that it is a simple cold.

The Government of Pedro Sanchez set itself the goal of achieving that first dose for 70 percent of primary school children this week. But the truth is that only 55% has been achieved.

Galicia, Extremadura and Asturias have achieved the objective set by the government. Others are lagging behind. For example, in Catalonia, Madrid and the Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla more than 55 per cent of children have not been vaccinated. The Ministry of Health is calling on communities to speed up vaccinations for children.

Experts insist that these vaccines are necessary for both adults and children. Just review this data. Infections have decreased in all age groups, including those under the age of 11. Until now, it was the group with the highest incidence. In just eight days more than 1,500 points have fallen because the effects of vaccinating children are beginning to be felt.