“I’ve delayed booster dose of my child because of the lockdown. It would be difficult and unsafe to go out at this time”.
These words from one of my relatives who have delayed the booster dose of her child left me in utter shock.
This is not the only case that I’ve come across for a delayed vaccination. In India, either because of lack of health awareness or other underlying reasons, the vaccination is either delayed or even missed as parents don’t consider it as one of the health essentials.
Apart from delay because of the current lockdown, vaccination also is delayed because
- The child has allergic reactions
- Has a fever
- Is on medication or injured
Delay in vaccination means an increase in the risk of infectious diseases even though the vaccination coverage is high. This further reduces the effectiveness of the vaccine by affecting immunity.
As parents and doctors are not vaccinating amid the coronavirus pandemic, experts predict that delays in vaccination could cause outbreaks of vaccine-preventable conditions dramatically in the coming days.
Children and adolescents are reservoirs of infections and can pass on these diseases to younger children or their grandparents who are vulnerable to them.
“Immunization is one of the most essential health services. And delay results in the outbreak of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs)” according to WHO[1].
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance/maintaining-essential-health-services-and-systems
Apart from other vaccinations, delay in the DTP booster vaccines risks protection against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis diseases.
Children should get the first 3 doses of DTP in the 1st year and 4th dose at 18 months old. 5th or booster dose is given at 4-6years.[2] In addition, for adolescents, a booster is needed in the age group of 9-13 years.
For children who get all shots of the DTP vaccine as per the National Immunization Schedule, the effectiveness of the vaccine is high.
Booster doses help build the immunity that the child’s body doesn’t build in the previous shot. In case of a disease like tetanus, immunity reduces over a period of time, a booster dose is needed to restore it.
“DTP vaccine protects against diphtheria in nearly 95 out of 100 people. They provide coverage against tetanus to all people. But with time, protection decreases. So, a booster shot is essential to stay protected.”[3]
Sometimes, one-shot is not effective against certain resilient diseases. After the initial shot, immunity needs a wakeup call in the form of a booster shot.
If you missed or delayed these booster doses, there could be resurgent outbreaks of the disease. Hence, booster doses are needed to strengthen the immunity to fight against infections.
These vaccination courses strengthen the defenses and provide life-long immunity.
If your child has a booster dose, they are fully protected for 6-8 years after getting their last shot. Remember to repeat the booster doses for DTP every 8-10 years
Sometimes, due to a stressful life, vaccination is delayed and then gets completely missed. Vaccination should always be on the priority list of parents for healthy growth and development of their child.
It’s very important that parents be aware of the diseases that can be prevented by vaccination.
If you are confused about vaccination, consulting a pediatrician is a must. This way, you will know to make informed decisions about vaccination.[4]
Timely immunizations protect not only your own children from infectious diseases but also your community.
Even in a lockdown, protect your entire family by giving booster doses to preschoolers and adolescents on time.
#DontWaitVaccinate your child now! Get more information on DTP booster vaccines here.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the blog content are independent and unbiased views of solely the blogger. This is a part of the public awareness initiative supported by Sanofi Pasteur India. Sanofi Pasteur India bears no responsibility for the content of the blog. One should consult their healthcare provider for any health-related information. Refrences: https://www.seruminstitute.com/health_faq_dtp.php#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20importance%20of%20booster%20doses%3F,for%20better%20protection%20against%20DTP. [ https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/dtap-tdap-td/public/index.html https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3307404/
I completely agree. Booster shots should not be missed. They are a necessity to keep kids healthy and safe.
The biggest mistake a family can make is to delay the booster dose citing the pandemic. It puts everyone at risk of a fresh outbreak.
Booster vaccines are indeed very imp. I know a lot of people who ignore this but any sort of delay can do a lot of harm
Yes , Immunity wall has to be strong & booster dose ensures nothing is left to chance
Vaccination is very vital and cannot be delayed under any circumstances as it could result in great risk. I think government should take some initiative to make sure the safely of kids especially during this pendamic.
I absolutely agree. Booster vaccines shouldn’t be avoided. Right now the circumstances are exceptional and have given a push bach to the vaccination schedule of the kids all over the world.
Thanks for the detailed post about booster dose. Will check with my doctor about the availability of the doses and will not do further delay.
Yes many people may face difficulty in following their routine vaccination schedule for their kids due to lockdown. Thanks for sharing all important points about maintaining regular vaccination schedule. Indeed it is very important to protect our kids against serious infectious diseases.
Wow! I always learn something new from your posts. After reading this, I completely agree booster shots should not be missed.
booster shots are extremely vital for kids development. i have been following up with my doctor so that i dont miss any for my kids.
i totally agree.. booster vaccines should not be avoided… its very important for kids. Thanks for spreading this information
Taking vaccines, boosters and following the schedule of vaccines is extremely important. We should not play with kids health.
Boosters should be treated with utmost importance and dates should never be missed. Glad for the kind reminder for all.
I was very particular about booster shots since from the very beginning. This is something all parents should pay attention to. Your blog post is great as it gives great information
I am Glad I am on right track for vaccinations. This post is very knowledgeable. I was unaware about VPD’s, infact never heard of them.
We have been delaying one of the doses for my son due to the current situation. But this article gives a fair insight on the importance of giving the booster does
with so much happening around I think we shouldn’t miss having a booster shot even for an adult so having a booster shot for kids is out of the question
This is so helpful for parents. Niw my son’s booster dose is coming and I will definitely take him for vaccination.
I had no clue about booster shots. Thismposr is helpful and informative in general about booster shots.
Your posts always remain very insightful. Yes, I agree with you that booster doses are important to keep babies are safe and free from infections.
Absolutely rightly said – boosters are important and must not be delayed. informative post.
I feel that during these times, we should not be negligent with timely care – after all precaution is the best cure!
That’s very informative post. Many parents are delayed for vaccinating their child due to current situation but they must understand the importance of timely vaccination as it helps to prevent the child from many other diseases.
This is just a worthy reminder post buddy, many of us all scared to go to the doctor for booster doses but this post inspired us to do it right now
Booster doses are necessary to keep the immunity strong and keep our body safe from future diseases. We should not miss the doses.
A lot of pediatricians are saying that Measles is more fatal than COVID. Yes! Indeed, one must not delay the process of getting immunity boosters especially because they feel it’s not advisable to visit the doctors during the pandemic. One must do a research and check with their pediatricians, book an appointment and schedule the boosters.
I remember and actually learned it the hard way when we got a scolding from our son’s pediatrician for delaying his booster vaccination. I didnt know DTP boster vaccination had to be repeated after 8-10 yrs. Surely remembering it now,
The importance of vaccines cannot be underlined enough. Booster doses tooare really vital to ensure continued immunity of the child.
Thank you for sharing that delay in booster vaccines is increasing the risk of highly infectious diseases. As you mentioned, a lot of people in India are not aware of it. Your post will help many.
This is something all parents must be most cautious about. It was such a detailed information & got me better understanding of why .
Many vaccines require a booster shot after the initial dose to continue preventing the disease. It is best suited to boost immune system. Great thoughts.
I can understand why parents are a bit nervous going out but we also need to understand that delaying the vaccination is not the right option. During these tough times we need all the more reasons to pay attention to the immunity of our little ones and which is why DTP boosters shouldn’t be delayed. Thank you for sharing this post.
I second with you. Thankfully my parents made sure that I got vaccines on time. I’m definitely sharing this with all new mommies and daddies.
Good that you stressed on these points. The scariest thing is that delaying these booster doses dramatically increases the risk of outbreaks in coming seasons.
I absolutely agree that booster dose should never be missed. They ensure total protection.
Rightly said. Missing any due vaccine during this pandemic can pose more risk than safety. Booster shots especially are of utmost importance.