Medical reps pushing fake Covid jab for kids

Many nursing homes put banners of vaccine for kids

As vaccines for children are not available for protection from Covid-19, there are banners put up in nursing homes on city outskirts and rural areas that parents can opt for pneumococcal vaccines. But these vaccines do not protect children from Covid-19 and gullible parents are being lured into it for profiteering, according to experts.

A senior paediatrician, on condition of anonymity, says, “There are desperate medical representatives who want to dump the vaccines in the market. They use these tactics and get a doctor to talk about cross immunity. There is protection from pneumonia but not from SARS-Cov 2 virus. This is not understood by the people and those who are desperate, get lured into it.”

The pneumococcal vaccine costs `4,000 in the open market. The Centre wants to bring it into the universal immunisation programme but due to the high costs, they are only carrying out trials in five to six states.

Due to the panic of Covid-19, these shots are being popularised for protection from pneumonia. Before the second wave too, community camps were organised for senior citizens for influenza flu shots.

Many of them opted for those vaccines and it is not clear if they were safe.

Dr Ravi Kumar, head of the paediatric department of Niloufer Hospital says, “There are 20 different types of pneumococcal bacteria and there are umpteen influenza viruses. There is no protection from cross immunity so far from Covid-19. Hence, people must not get carried away by this misinformation.”

Paediatricians say that people are not having access to the right knowledge and are getting scared that the third wave will affect children. Due to this reason, they are becoming an easy target. Another fear is that since schools want to re-start and there is a need for vaccines, the one which gives protection must be given to children.

There is no recommendation by them for vaccination of children as the Covid-19 vaccines are under clinical trials, the experts add.

DUE TO the panic of Covid-19, these shots are being popularised for protection from pneumonia. Before the second wave too, community camps were organised for senior citizens for influenza flu shots.