Maccabi Healthcare Services, one of the four Health Maintenance Organizations currently active in Israel, on Friday published a survey on the side effects among 5-to-11-year-old who received their COVID-19 vaccine in the past two weeks.
The survey found that 20% of the parents who were polled replied that their children suffered from some side effects, most often weakness, fatigue or headaches. Only 1% of all respondents reported that they sought counseling or medical treatment due to the condition of their children.
The vaccinations of 5-to-11-year-olds began in Israel about two weeks ago, and Maccabi decided to examine the extent to which the vaccine affected the 40,000 children who were vaccinated at its locations. Only one-fifth of respondents reported side effects, and most reported that what they felt was gone within a day.
70% of those who were vaccinated reported only local side effects, and the rest said that they did not experience any reaction at the injection site.
The data also show that the younger children suffered less from side effects from the vaccine. For example, 7% of five-year-olds reported weakness and fatigue, compared with 14% of 11-year-olds. Also, 5% of five-year-olds reported headaches, compared with 10% of 11-year-olds.
Sigal Dadon Levi, CEO of Maccabi Health Services, said, "The results of the survey show that the vaccine is effective and safe, and I call on all parents to come and vaccinate their children, for the sake of their health and the health of those around them."
(Israel National News' North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Israel National News articles, however, is Israeli time.)