Vaccines against coronavirus infections have a high level of safety, reduce severe cases of illness and hospitalizations, and help reduce the mortality of coronavirus infections. Since the introduction of the coronavirus vaccine, several billion adults worldwide have been vaccinated with various coronavirus vaccines.

Widespread vaccination against COVID-19 is an important means of protecting everyone at high risk from coronavirus infections, from serious complications and death of coronavirus infections. The Pfizer vaccine is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the vaccination of children and adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, pregnant and lactating mothers. Currently, in more than 20 countries of the world, adolescents are vaccinated from 12 years old, in some countries from 3 years old (China) and 5 years old (USA). In America, about 8 million have been vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, including vaccination of children over 5 years old, in China, in October 2021, the emergency use of the domestic inactivated vaccine against coronavirus infections among children from 3 to 17 years old was adopted, and more than 60 have already been vaccinated. millions of children and adolescents of the specified age. At the end of August this year in Canada, up to 58% of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years were fully vaccinated against CVI.

To prevent coronavirus infections among children and adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, pregnant and lactating mothers in Kazakhstan, the availability of the Pfizer vaccine is ensured, which has an evidence base for safety and high efficiency in these population groups.

In Kazakhstan, vaccination against coronavirus infections is free and voluntary. According to Article 77 of the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On people's health and the health care system", any medical procedure, including vaccination, is carried out only with the consent of the vaccinated. Vaccination of adolescents from 12 to 17 years old is allowed only with the informed written consent of parents or their legal representatives. There is no administrative or criminal liability for refusal to vaccinate in Kazakhstan.

Vaccination of adolescents aged 12 to 18 years is carried out in the vaccination rooms of educational organizations, at the request of parents or legal representatives, adolescents can be vaccinated at the vaccination points of a medical organization. The medical organization to which the school is attached provides training for health workers in vaccination teams to vaccinate adolescents. A cold chain is provided to ensure the safety and efficacy of the vaccine at different storage and transport levels.

In case of adverse consequences after immunization - AEFI, you should seek medical help. Contraindications to vaccination with the Pfizer vaccine:

- allergy to the active substance or any other components of the drug; the presence of an allergy to eggs or gelatin is not a contraindication or warning for vaccination, as the vaccine does not contain these components.

- age up to 12 years;

- pregnancy up to 16 weeks.

Vaccination against coronavirus infections should be postponed for persons with acute infectious diseases and during exacerbation of chronic diseases.

Benefits of vaccination:

- prevents severe course and complications of infection

- protects not only the vaccinated, but also those around them (brothers, sisters, relatives)

- forms "collective immunity"

- The "vaccination passport" received after immunization will simplify your travels.

Before vaccination, testing for the presence of CVI and antibodies to coronavirus is not carried out. Those who have had CVI are subject to vaccination against CVI 6 months after recovery, taking into account the assessment of the condition before vaccination. Vaccination of those who have had CVI is allowed 3 months after recovery.

M.ZHANSEITOVA,

head of department of UKK&BT&U

Bostandyk district of Almaty

J. ZHUNUSOVA,

medical director of the clinic