Be informed about immunisation and vaccine safety for your child's sake
30 October 2024
JOHANNESBURG - Throughout history, immunisation has helped protect millions of children against infectious and life-threatening diseases. Immunisation helps to strengthen your child's immune system to fight diseases like polio, measles, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tuberculosis (TB) and meningitis. Vaccines have been so effective that some diseases that were once feared are now easily manageable.
Vaccinations protect the child and help protect the rest of society. Vaccines work because they create "herd immunity." It means that when enough people are protected against a disease, its spread is slowed or stopped. It saves people who don't have access to or can't get vaccines, like babies, people with specific health problems, and people who are allergic to the vaccine ingredients.
Are vaccines safe for children?
Vaccines undergo many clinical trials and tests to ensure they are safe and work well before use. Clinical trials are used to test the safety and usefulness of vaccines. Thousands of people take part in these trials. The Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting method (VAERS) also tracks vaccine safety even after approval. VAERS is a system that compiles reports of adverse effects after getting a vaccine. This information is used to monitor how safe vaccines are and to find any possible safety concerns.
Just like any other medical treatment, vaccines can have side effects, but severe side effects from vaccines are rare. Almost all sickness or discomfort after vaccination is minor and temporary. For a short period after being vaccinated, your child may experience soreness in the vaccinated area, as well as a fever or a slight rash. These can often be controlled by taking over-the-counter pain medication as advised by a healthcare provider, or applying a cold cloth to the area where the child got vaccinated.
Many parents worry that multiple vaccines will overload their child's immune system, and their baby might be unable to handle all the vaccines. According to UNICEF, there is no reason to worry; children are exposed to hundreds of germs daily, and a common cold can significantly threaten your child's immune system more than vaccines. If parents are concerned about anything, they should contact their healthcare provider.
Know your child's immunisation schedule
Vaccines are the most effective when they are given to children at the right age and with the correct dosage, as children are most susceptible to certain diseases at certain ages. For example, polio occurs most frequently in children below the age of five. Because of this, polio vaccines are given to children of those ages to prevent harm caused by the disease. A child who isn't vaccinated or is not vaccinated on time remains unprotected and has an increased chance of getting seriously ill. You can check the Department of Health website or talk to your child's doctor to determine the best vaccines. To view the South African Child Vaccination Schedule, please click here.
In South Africa, every newborn baby should receive the free Road To Health booklet that provides parents and caregivers with crucial information for their child's health and a schedule to help keep track of routine clinic visits for check-ups and immunisation. If you do not have your child's Road To Health booklet, you can collect one for free at any health facility in South Africa.
The costs of getting your child vaccinated
The costs of vaccinating one's child in South Africa without medical aid can vary depending on the type of vaccine and where the vaccine is administered. There is a government-run vaccination programme known as the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI) that provides certain vaccines for free to children under the age of one year. Those vaccines include BCG (tuberculosis), hepatitis B, polio (oral polio vaccine), diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTaP), Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV).
However, other vaccines are not covered by the EPI, such as the rotavirus vaccine, the meningococcal vaccine, and the HPV vaccine. These can be obtained through private healthcare providers or clinics, and their costs vary. Being a Medshield member means you won't have to worry about covering the cost of these crucial vaccines. Medshield's Wellness Benefits assure that your child will receive their vaccination as and when needed at a healthcare facility of your choice according to your benefit option. Generally, we cover children's vaccinations as part of our preventive care benefits. It includes vaccines that are part of the government's EPI. However, the coverage for non-EPI vaccines may vary depending on the plan and the specific benefits a member has selected. Members can check their Medshield plan benefits on the website at www.medshield.co.za or contact our customer service for more information.
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