Covid-19: NPRA says only one adverse event report among children after vaccination is serious

PETALING JAYA: The National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (NPRA) says 57 from a total of 58 adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) reports involving children between the ages of five and 11 it receives as of Monday (Feb 21) were not serious.

NPRA director Dr Roshayati Mohamad Sani said the patient with the serious condition was hospitalised and had since been discharged.

She said among the adverse events reported included acute stress response, fever and shortness of breath.

“As of Feb 18, a total of 383,165 doses of Covid-19 vaccine had been administered to children between five and 11 years of age.

“The AEFI report rate for this age group is 0.1 per 1,000 doses,” she said at a Covid-19 vaccine AEFI report media briefing session on Wednesday (Feb 23).

Dr Roshayati added that the Health Ministry, through the NPRA, was committed to monitoring and evaluating the AEFI reports to ensure the safety of those involved.

AEFI data was important to ensure that the benefit versus risk for vaccine products remains positive, she added.