Experts question whether the Covid vaccine is mandatory for children

The plenary session of the Federal Senate held this Monday (26) a thematic session to debate the mandatory Covid-19 vaccine for children, after the inclusion of the vaccine in the National Immunization Plan of the Ministry of Health. The event was requested by Senator Eduardo Girão (Novo-CE).

During the debate, participants questioned the effectiveness of vaccines for children and defended the expansion of studies into whether or not to adopt vaccines. American cardiologist Peter McCullough stated that vaccines do not prevent transmission or hospitalization. For him, immunization against covid-19, at all ages, should be interrupted.

Last year, the Ministry of Health included immunization against the disease in the National Childhood Vaccination Calendar for children under five years of age (from six months to four years and 11 months) with the Pfizer vaccine. The vaccination schedule consists of three doses and the obligation came into effect in January of this year.

Infectious disease doctor Francisco Cardoso criticized the Ministry’s decision, and said that the measure is based on few studies aimed at the age group up to 5 years of age. In the document, the agency states that, in 2023, cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) due to covid-19 were more frequent among elderly people aged 80 or over and children under one year of age.

“Right now, Brazil is the only country in the world that requires vaccination against Covid-19 in the age group from six months to five years,” said Cardoso.

Italian doctor Andrea Stramezzi stated that mandatory vaccination is a problem mainly for poorer children in Brazil, who have fewer resources and depend on the public health and education system. “Rich children will have no problem going to private schools, paying fees or any other charges. They can do whatever they want, they have access to doctors, but I really believe and think about these poor children,” said Stramezzi.

In the opinion of the author of the session, the immunization of children should be optional and cannot prevent enrollment in schools. Girão defended the discussion of the topic “in a technical way” and criticized the absence of the Minister of Health, Nísia Trindade, who was invited to the debate, but did not attend. In an official statement, the minister stated that she was unable to participate in the session due to an agenda incompatibility.

“It is unacceptable for a child to be punished by being denied access to school because their parents have not authorized a vaccine that they do not consider safe, because there are not enough data on short and long-term efficacy and safety, and because it does not prevent contagion and viral spread”, said the senator from Ceará.

For Senator Luis Carlos Heinze (PP-RS), there is a lack of studies that prove the mandatory immunization of children. And he criticized the absence of representatives from the Ministry of Health at the meeting. “Any specialist doctor could be listening to the American, European, Italian and Brazilian specialists who are speaking here today […] Am sorry. It’s not just the minister, but there should also be people here with the ability to discern what we’re talking about”, declared Heinze.

In January of this year, opposition deputies presented an urgent request to process the proposal that aims to overturn the mandatory vaccination against Covid-19 for children under 5 years of age. This is the Legislative Decree Project (PDL) 487/2023 authored by deputy Paulo Bilynskyj (PL-SP). The proposal awaits analysis in the plenary of the Chamber of Deputies.

*With information from Agência Senado