False: Teenagers do not benefit from the COVID-19 vaccination.

By: Ranjini K
November 10 2021

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False: Teenagers do not benefit from the COVID-19 vaccination.

Fact-Check

The Verdict False

Many nations have approved COVID-19 vaccines to protect teenagers from the virus, as they have proven to reduce the risk of becoming critically ill.

Claim ID bd3c4f32

Many nations have approved COVID-19 vaccines to protect teenagers from the virus, as they have proven to reduce the risk of becoming critically ill.Despite differences in approaches, many countries have approved the COVID-19 vaccination for children aged five and above and have begun vaccinating young teenagers. BBC News reports that various factors affect a country's approach, ranging from adult immunization rates, political pressure, and concerns about a potential COVID-19 outbreak. In the midst of this, youngsters have expressed concerns that the COVID-19 vaccine is ineffective, despite governments vaccinating their populations. But, it is proven that the COVID-19 vaccine protects teenagers and other immunized groups from the pandemic. Scientists undertook extensive research before recommending COVID-19 vaccination for youngsters. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has given the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine emergency approval for use in children aged 5 to 15 and complete approval for use in adults aged 16 and above. The current potential benefits of COVID-19 immunization exceed the risks reports Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). Myocarditis and pericarditis cases were reported after the second dose (Pfizer) in the 12–17 group. Inflammation of the heart muscle is known as myocarditis. Pericarditis is inflammation of the heart's outer lining. The CDC, on the other hand, claims that these reactions are uncommon or rare. In a study, the risk of myocarditis after the second dosage of Pfizer was roughly 54 cases per million doses given to males aged 12–17 years in the week following vaccination. BBC News reports there has never been a completely safe vaccine or drug, and statistics from the U.S. show that the number of affected children is small. The rare conditions can cause chest pain and a racing heart, but the symptoms typically go away after a few days. COVID-19 vaccinations have been deemed safe and effective by the CDC, and serious adverse effects are infrequent. On September 13, the Chief Medical Officers(CMO) recommended that all 12-15-year-olds in the U.K. receive a single dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. After gathering further international information on second doses in this age range, the CMO's will urge the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation(JCVI) to recommend whether second doses should be administered to children and young people aged 12 to 15 in case the ministers adopt this advice. The CMO used facts and figures from the Office for National Statistics and available data on the COVID-19's impact on education and other sources to prepare the advice. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency(MHRA) determines whether vaccination is safe and effective. According to the CMO's, the MHRA likewise believes that the COVID-19 vaccine benefits exceed the risks for children and people over 12. Health Minister Sajid Javid approved the CMO's recommendation, noting that the choice was made to safeguard children from COVID-19 and prevent transmission in educational institutes, reports Reuters. The NPR reports that all side effects are the same for teens, likely as adults. Dr. Brian Feingold, medical director of the heart transplant program at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, said, "There's no zero-risk proposition." But, if a person does not receive the vaccine, they will be vulnerable to additional health risks, it reports. The BBC report shows that per million doses among children, the vaccine prevented 87 hospital admissions, and there were 3 to 17 myocarditis cases. In the U.S., about 10 million above 12 have been vaccinated, reasoning that the advantages of preventing COVID-19 and its complications exceed the slight risk of an adverse reaction to the vaccination. For the same reason, Italy, Canada, France, Spain, Israel, and many other nations vaccinate this age range. The misconception that teenagers don't benefit from the COVID-19 vaccine is inaccurate, as the vaccines are essential for the pandemic's combat.

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