Taiwan has begun offering the Pfizer COVID vaccine to children aged 5 to 11. A little over 40,000 doses will be administered in the first wave. Across the nation, parents were seen braving the rain with their small children, waiting hours in line to get a shot.

Wednesday was the first day of Pfizer vaccination for children aged 5 to 11. By 8 o’clock in the morning, there was already a long line of families standing outside this clinic, all waiting for Pfizer’s child vaccine. Some arrived as early as 4 a.m. With COVID hitting schools nationwide, parents are eager to get their kids protected.

Parent
Yeah I’m afraid he’ll get infected. Because a classmate of his was diagnosed. We’re No. 38. It’s estimated that there will be 40 slots. I got here at 6:50. No. 1 got here at 4 o’clock.

For this first wave of administration, 403,000 doses of Pfizer’s child vaccine were distributed nationwide. New Taipei was allocated the most doses, at 57,000, followed by Taichung with 56,000 doses and Taipei with 54,000 doses.

Here inside the vaccination site, young children wait in line with health insurance cards clutched in hand. Once it’s their turn, the little ones roll up their sleeves with alacrity.

Wu Po-yen
Vaccine recipient
Because my family said that if I don’t get the vaccine, I can’t go outside. So it’s a relief to finally be getting my shot.

According to Dr. Huang Li-min, Pfizer side effects in children are similar to those seen in adults. These include pain and redness at the injection site, and a mild fever. The doctor says there are two situations that warrant concern. One is anaphylactic shock, which could show up as difficulty breathing and a pale complexion. Children could also develop myocarditis, so they should monitor their heart rate and manage their exercise levels for a week after vaccination. The doctor says it takes at least two weeks for the vaccine to produce antibodies, so kids should still be careful at school in the meantime.

Huang Li-min
NTU Children’s Hospital superintendent
Of course there are some risks, especially since the first vaccine dose takes longer to produce antibodies. Two weeks is a reasonable estimate. For some people, it could take three to four weeks.

Pfizer’s child vaccine is available at last. Many parents are breathing a sigh of relief at being able to protect their children from the virus.