“The world may be battling a COVID-19 outbreak but as a mother, I have a child to raise.”
A healthy lifestyle may be in the mind of adults now more than ever, but as parents, this has been our focus for the past few years. I have always striven to give my kids nutritious food packed with fruits, vegetables and nuts every day including natural immunity boosters, too.
At the time of lockdown, I have taken care of basic hygiene even more. I am sure this is what many other parents of little children are doing, but there is one thing that has escaped our focus.
And these are vaccines. To be more specific, the booster doses of vaccines!
Vaccine-preventable diseases are still a threat to our infants and toddlers. With so much focus on Covid-19, we had completely overlooked our vaccination date until we got a call from our pediatrician’s office to remind us. Even then, we were skeptical about how we are going to take our toddler into the hospital premises and still keep him safe. We kept postponing our visit when we got the alarming news of a chickenpox outbreak in an adjacent apartment. Summer is a common time for these and in any other circumstance, our toddler would have been protected against this. This was the much needed wake-up call for us as we realized that there is a world of infections beyond this Covid-19 too. It is imminent that our children follow their vaccination protocols to prevent such vulnerable infections from harming their health.
While parents take their children for mandatory vaccines, the booster doses are sometimes not taken as seriously. Why? Is this because we feel our darlings are at home and safe from infectious diseases? Nothing could be farther from the truth.
It is important to have children vaccinated to protect them from serious diseases. It means that when your children can return to interacting with other children, they’ll have protection from some other diseases too. It is also important for children to have booster doses because their immunity decreases over time.
I have a 1-year-old. How can I protect my baby from COVID-19?
Preschool and adolescence are two crucial stages in a child’s life when a booster vaccination is a must!
What are some of the steps to take if you are taking your children out for primary vaccination or booster doses?
- Always book a prior appointment so the doctor is informed of your visit and that time will be blocked for you. Plus, there will be minimum crowd contact.
- When you step out ensure that you have masked yourself and train your child to wear a mask too. This training essentially should be done two days before the visit.
- Avoid touching unnecessary surfaces in the clinics (including doorknobs, table surfaces, etc.)
- Ask the clinic for an online money transfer, if possible, for the vaccines and the clinic fee.
- Sanitize your hands before leaving the house and use a hand sanitizer while you are in the clinic.
- Educate your child not to touch their mouth, eyes, and nose.
- Ensure that all hospital staffs are masked and gloved, and the doctor is wearing a PPD kit. Ask about sterilization protocols before your visit.
- Carry as little as possible. If you can leave your phones at home that’s the best decision and once you return, leave the bag you carried in a balcony and do not touch it for 4-5 days.
- As soon as you return, go straight for a bath. Soak the clothes in soap water immediately.
Vaccination is the best gift we can give our children right now. The key is not to panic but to rise above this pandemic as a community.
#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.
Sources
https://vikaspedia.in/health/child-health/immunization#section3
https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/vaccinations-and-covid-19-what-parents-need-know
HappyMomLifestyle 
This is so helpful as I was really apprehensive , Thanks for the blogpost
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This concept of waiting during the pandemic is a huge mistake. At the hospital, we have actively been calling parents and requesting them to come.
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Very relevant points. Vaccination is important but during this time, it’s important to be careful.
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That’s very important that parents should not further delayed vaccination to build stronger immunity and keeps diseases at bay. #DontWaitVaccinate
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Sanofi is doing a great job in imparting all this information. We mommies definitely need to be aware.
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Vaccinations are very important and it becomes crucial to keep them up to date especially during these times. Good tips on how one can keep their kids vaccinated during these times.
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I will share with my closed ones who has toddlers and are taking vaccination.
This post will surely help and it is quite informative also.
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Well-written. Vaccines shouldn’t be delayed at any cost. We may fight through the pandemic but by ignoring or delaying vaccines may invite other diseases.
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This is so important and for all parents as a must read to take care of the little ones. Prevention and precautions are everything which is what 2020 has made us know
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Vaccination really helps a child in his growth and it is important to provide timely vaccinations as suggested by the doctor or paediatrician.
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Very helpful and informative tips. Parents need to be very careful before going out with their child for vaccination. Thanks for sharing the article with us
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Right post at the right time. Today only we will go for my son’s vaccine in the evening. Your points are so helpful.
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Thanks for this reminder. Scheduling my child’s vaccination right away. Had been avoiding it for sometime now.
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some good tips for getting out of the house during the lockdown. i think we are done with our vaccinations. i have to check.
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This is a very useful Post for the moms who are worried about their child’s vaccination.
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Surely as an mother I share your concerns and vaccination chain should be Maintained as first line of defence for our kids.
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Vaccination is such a must and the basis for immunity and good health. It is true that many times booster doses get neglected, but these are as vital as the initial ones.
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This is the biggest battle for new parents to keep our baby safe in this Pandemic. Loved reading this post. Quite helpful it is
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We can’t afford to miss vaccination dates… This post is indeed very helpful for all parents! Thank you for sharing the tips!
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We are also doing my son’s vaccination during this time and following all these rules also .very informative post
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