Vaccination in the time of COVID-19: Why It’s Important To Continue It

Vaccination is one crucial subject that has put Khris and me at a crossroads during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Vaccination in the time of COVID-19: Why It’s Important To Continue It

Since Khris and I are firm believers in vaccination, we wanted to continue with the vaccines of our two sons. However, with health concerns amid the looming threat of COVID-19, we were deathly afraid of bringing the kids outside.

A few days before our scheduled vaccination, we were in a complicated situation in which arriving at a decision seemed almost impossible. 

"Should we continue with vaccination even with the threat of COVID-19? The short answer is yes."

To allay our fears, Khris was in constant communication with our pediatrician who assured us that they are taking strict precautionary measures in their clinic to ensure little or no contact with other people. In the end, we decided to go for it and we were glad that we did so.

The importance of vaccination

Vaccination is important because it helps the body develop immunity against diseases.

During vaccination, weakened viruses or bacteria are introduced to the body, either through injection or via the mouth. Because these organisms are weak, our bodies can easily fight them and, at the same time, develop immunity against these disease-causing germs. When we do catch these viruses, our bodies could easily fight them because we have already developed antibodies.

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Our pediatrician was kind and patient enough to explain to us the importance of completing our kids’ vaccines during the pandemic. According to her, now is a crucial time to boost our children’s immunity. Our younger baby, most especially, is scheduled for his first dose of the pneumonia vaccine.

Even UNICEF emphasizes the importance of vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the organization, children need to keep their vaccinations up to date as this will protect them from severe infections.

Furthermore, if you are traveling, it is all the more important to have your kids vaccinated.

Safety precautions to remember during vaccination amid COVID-19

If you are still doubtful of the need to continue your child’s vaccination during COVID-19, let me share some of the safety precautions that our pediatrician has put in place at their clinic.

It might help put you at ease knowing that your pediatrician is also practicing these health protocols:

1. The clinic accommodates vaccinations only

Our pediatrician assured us that they are not accommodating patients other than those with scheduled vaccinations. That means that walk-ins are not allowed and if parents bring in their sick kids, our pediatrician would politely tell them to bring their kids to the hospital.

2. Strict implementation of patient's schedule

All kids due for vaccination are given a schedule that we would have to strictly follow. That meant that there would only be one patient in the assigned time. That also erases the possible problem of social distancing implementation because there will be no other patient within our schedule.

Lastly, we were also reminded that we could not come earlier as we would not be accommodated in the clinic if a patient was still inside.

3. The clinic is sanitized and disinfected after every vaccination

Our pediatrician also assured us that their clinic is sanitized and disinfected after every vaccination. Furthermore, our pediatrician disclosed that she does not make hospital rounds before the vaccinations. Even so, she was in full PPE while inside her clinic.

Nonetheless, even with the above precautionary measures in place, we made sure that we were wearing face masks at all times. We would have wanted our kids to wear face masks, too, but they just would not have it. It’s good that there were no other people in the clinic except our doctor and an assistant. We also used alcohol to sanitize our hands.

In the end, we were able to finish two vaccinations and a booster for our babies. We were glad to have made the decision to push through with the vaccinations.

If you would also like to have your babies vaccinated but are unsure because of the current situation, talk to your pediatrician. Ensure that proper health and safety protocols are being practiced in their clinic.

However, if you still feel uncomfortable or doubtful, follow your gut feeling and do not push through with it. More often than not, a parent’s hunch is always right.