Vaccines for children aged 5 to 11
A parent can book an appointment for their child to get vaccinated by contacting the child's family doctor. It is possible to book an appointment at the National eBooking System (digilugu.ee) if the family doctor has joined the National eBooking System or for vaccinating the child at a hospital.
The course of vaccinations consists of two doses, the interval between the shots is six weeks. Achieving full protection might take up to seven days after receiving the second dose of the vaccine.
Last updated: 23.12.2021 20:18
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The majority of children do get mild symptoms of COVID-19, or are completely asymptomatic. The fact that COVID-19 is less dangerous to children than it is to older people does not mean that the disease is harmless to children.
In some cases the disease can progress extremely severely for children as well: for instance, during this short time period there are already 24 children in Estonia who have suffered from multisystem inflammatory syndrome, most of whom were completely healthy before they go the coronavirus.
Another worry is that children spread the virus just like adults do. There are constant outbreaks in kindergartens and primary schools, children transmit the disease to their parents and grandparents but also bring it from their homes to their teachers at school.
Vaccinating children helps to protect their family members as well, both those who belong to a risk group as well as, for instance, smaller sisters and brothers who cannot be vaccinated yet. Vaccination also helps to keep the schools and kindergartens open and allows the children to participate in group activities.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 01:37
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Children will be vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech Comirnaty vaccine that contains three times less of the active substance than the vaccine meant for adults. The course of vaccination consists of two doses that are administered with a 6-week interval in Estonia, based on the recommendation of the immunoprophylaxis expert committee. Achieving full protection might take up to seven days after receiving the second dose of the vaccine.
Last updated: 23.12.2021 20:19
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A parent can book an appointment to get their child vaccinated by contacting the child's family doctor. If the family doctor of the child has joined the National eBooking System or the intent is to vaccinate the child at a hospital, a parent or a guardian can book an appointment for the child at the National eBooking System (digilugu.ee).
Last updated: 21.12.2021 20:18
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The side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine are the same for children as they are for adults. The more common ones are reactions of the injection site, like pain, swelling, redness; general reactions like fever, muscle and joint pain, feeling unwell and enlargement of lymph nodes. The side effects usually pass within a few days.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 01:00
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In order to get good protection, it is recommended that people who have recovered are also vaccinated. The recommendation about vaccinating those who have recovered is the same for children as it is for adults: with one dose, once six months have passed from recovery.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 01:08
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The necessity of a second shot depends on the moment after the first shot the child became infected:
- if the child became infected within two weeks (14 days) of the first shot, it is recommended to vaccinate with one dose on the sixth month after recovery. After this, the course of vaccinations is considered completed.
- if the child became infected more than two weeks (14 days) after the first shot, the second dose is no longer necessary and the course of vaccinations is considered completed.
Last updated: 10.01.2022 23:38
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If a child that has received one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech children's vaccine turns 12 before receiving the second dose, it is recommended by the immunoprophylaxis expert committee that the course of vaccinations is completed with the same vaccine, i.e. the vaccine indicated for children aged 5-11. It is not necessary to wait with the vaccination.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 01:41
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No one can predict exactly who will have a severe progression of the disease. Still, it is known that children who have chronic cardiovascular diseases, immunodeficiency, neurological disorders, and cancer belong to the coronavirus risk group.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 01:28
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A child who is currently suffering from an acute illness is not administered a vaccine. But generally, there are no such groups that definitely should not be vaccinated.
Children who have immunodeficiency might not achieve sufficient protection against the coronavirus but that does not mean that the vaccine is contraindicated. There is a separate recommendation regarding those who suffer from immunodeficiency, stating that they require three doses for the initial vaccination. The same applies to immunodeficient children.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 01:20
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Children will be vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine Comirnaty that contains three times less active substance than the vaccine meant for adults.
The immune reaction of prepubescent children is stronger than the one of adults. Clinical studies confirm that it is possible for children aged 5-11 to get the same level of antibodies with a smaller amount of the active substance of the vaccine as 12-17 year olds or adults get with a larger amount. That is the reason why the children's vaccine contains 10 micrograms of the active substance instead of 30 micrograms. The clinical studies found that the efficacy of the vaccine with the smaller amount is over 90%.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 00:49
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The vaccination of children will begin in family health centres and hospitals in order to offer children and parents an environment that is as safe and familiar as possible, where they can ask questions from their doctor and get encouragement, if necessary.
Provided that the deliveries allow, it will later become possible to make the vaccine more widely available at different service providers, as well as consider vaccinating children at schools, as part of special projects, but also at public vaccination sites and pharmacies.
Last updated: 08.12.2021 17:21
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If someone from your family has had the coronavirus and the child was also symptomatic, it is reasonable to presume that the child has also had the coronavirus -- even if the child was not tested. In that case, the vaccination can wait for six months after recovery. If the child was not symptomatic, it is not necessary to wait to get vaccinated.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 01:11
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Vaccine is not contraindicated to children who have recovered from the coronavirus.
By today, about 5 million children have been vaccinated in the world and there are no signs that vaccination has been detrimental to them, even though there are children among them who have had the disease without themselves or their families knowing it.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 01:15
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Yes, it is possible to get infected with COVID-19 repeatedly. The strength of the immune protection decreases in time -- both for people who have recovered from the disease and those who have been vaccinated. Thus far, the research has shown that the minimum interval between two infections is about 6 months and the average about 9 months.
In order to get good protection it is recommended that people who have recovered are also vaccinated. The recommendation about vaccinating those who have recovered is the same for children as it is for adults: with one dose, once six months have passed from recovery.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 01:06
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Yes, children aged 5-11 get a vaccination certificate as well, if they so wish.
After vaccination, the health care service provider will create a vaccination notification that is recorded in the health information system. Based on that, a parent or a legal representative can create and download the EU COVID certificate for the child at the Patient Portal digilugu.ee.
It is necessary to receive two doses of the vaccine in order to complete the course of vaccination, i.e. to achieve maximum protection. The certificate will become valid 14 days after the last dose.
The obligation to present a vaccination certificate does not apply to the 5-11 age group.
Last updated: 08.12.2021 17:29
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Yes, it is possible to administer the coronavirus and flu vaccines to the child at the same time.
Still, experience shows that the children themselves do not wish to receive several shots on the same day. For the flu, there is also a vaccine that requires intranasal administration.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 00:35
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The decision about vaccinating children aged 5-11 is generally made by the child and the parents. For children under the guardianship of the local municipality, the decision is made by the local municipality.
Parents that have the right of custody have to come to a mutual decision about vaccinating a child. According to the guidelines of the Chancellor of Justice, this decision can also be represented by one parent, i.e. it can be presumed that the other parent agrees and it is sufficient that one parent expresses the wish to vaccinate the child. However, if it is known that the other parent that has the right of custody is against vaccinating the child, it is not necessary to await the position of the other parent and it is not possible to vaccinate the child in any case.
If a parent turns to the family doctor or a paediatrician for vaccination along with the child, it is presumed that there is a mutual agreement between the parents and no further written consent is required.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 00:31
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We currently do not know the answer to this.
By observing the countries where children have been vaccinated for a longer period, the USA and Israel, we can tell that adolescents have retained the immune protection longer than older age groups. The older the person, the higher the need for a booster dose.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 00:39
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A Comirnaty vaccine that contains tromethamine and has the same composition exists for adults as well but is not being used in Estonia yet.
Tromethamine is an excipient that helps to keep the pH balance in the necessary range. The amount of this substance in the vaccine is very small and research has shown that due to this the vaccine can be kept longer in the refrigerator at +2...+8ºC. In the beginning we knew that it is possible to store the Pfizer vaccine in conditions like that for only a very short period, but this vaccine that has a slightly changed composition can be kept in a refrigerator at +2...+8ºC for up to ten weeks.
Last updated: 10.12.2021 00:35
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No immune reaction lasts that long. The components of the vaccine are quickly decomposed and taken out of the body. There is a beginning and an end to the immune system getting to know the antigen. The side effects of the vaccines generally occur within a few days after vaccination, extremely rarely up to a few months after vaccination.
Last updated: 09.12.2021 01:24
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