COVID‐19 vaccination in children as a global dilemma through an ethical lens: A retrospective review

Assadi, Masoud; Kiani, Mehrzad; Gooshki, Ehsan Shamsi; Aryanian, Zeinab; Afshar, Zeinab Mohseni; Hatami, Parvaneh

doi:10.1002/hsr2.976

Cited by 6 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 75 publications

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“…Few studies have focused on the COVID-19 vaccine mandate [ 4 , 5 , 9 , 11 , 12 ]. Among these, [ 5 ] discussed implementing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in a scientific way, and [ 12 ] discussed the political and functional needs of COVID-19 vaccine mandates.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Soon after, it became a global pandemic with 290,000,000 confirmed cases and 5,446,753 deaths over the past two years all over the world [ 3 ]. Many countries commenced developing vaccine soon after the pandemic [ 4 ] with the aim of preventing infection-associated morbidity and mortality [ 5 ]. For a vaccine to be developed and made available, it would normally require a minimum duration of at least 12–18 months.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most countries have promoted a vaccination drive and some have mandated adult vaccination. They are now focusing on vaccinating children aged 12 to 15 years [ 7 ] with the newly formulated vaccine for children produced by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna [ 5 ]. Vaccinating children aged 5 to 11 years is also being considered [ 7 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…SARS-CoV-2 infection poses a serious risk to the elderly population (over 65 years of age) and those with comorbidities, such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, malignancy, and obesity. However, children are at a lower risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2 [ 5 ]. According to World Health Organization (WHO) reports, the mortality rate in children below the age of 14 is 0.1% [ 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to World Health Organization (WHO) reports, the mortality rate in children below the age of 14 is 0.1% [ 8 ]. The lack of enough data regarding the effectiveness of vaccines [ 5 ] and the short- and long-term side effects of vaccination in children [ 9 ] has led to significant hesitancy among parents about vaccinating their children [ 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ethical Challenges Involved in COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Children: A Systematic Review

Alahmad

2023

Vaccines

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The new COVID-19 pandemic has affected day-to-day life, creating various ethical dilemmas. COVID-19 vaccination is seen as an effective way to halt the pandemic. Ethical challenges can arise when the vaccines are mandated for all ages, but more so when mandated for children. This systematic review discusses the pros and cons of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for children. The primary objective of this study is to summarize exclusively the various ethical conflicts, impacts, and requirements that arise as a result of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate laws on children. The secondary objective is to analyze the reasons for parents refusing to allow their children to be given the COVID-19 vaccine sand the effective strategies to increase vaccine uptake among children. The study involved a systematic review, identification of relevant literature and reviews following the PRISMA-ScR recommendations. The keywords ‘COVID-19 vaccine mandates on children’ were used to mine the literature from PubMed and WHO COVID-19 Research Database. Limitations placed on the original searches were: English language, humans, ethics, and children. Out of 529 studies, only 13 satisfied the selection criteria. The sample included studies with a wide, diverse range of methods, settings, research, authors, and journals. COVID-19 vaccine mandates on children need to be scrutinized. Implementing the COVID-19 vaccination drive in a scientific way is acceptable. As children are the fastest-growing population and have the highest life expectancy, it is important to take into account that the vaccines do not disturb their growth and development.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Ethical Challenges Involved in COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Children: A Systematic Review

Alahmad

2023

Vaccines

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Parental experience with childhood COVID-19 vaccines and factors associated with parental hesitancy despite being vaccinated: findings of a cross-sectional analysis from Pakistan and implications for the future

Salman,

Mallhi,

Khan

et al. 2024

BMJ Open

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ObjectivesThis study examined parental experiences with COVID-19 vaccination and factors contributing to COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy (CVH) among them to help guide future policy initiatives.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingLahore, the second largest metropolis in Pakistan.ParticipantsThis study was conducted among parents residing in Lahore from March to April 2023. Participants were recruited via convenience sampling.Outcome measuresData were collected using a prevalidated questionnaire that consisted of four sections: (1) informed consent, (2) demographic details, (3) COVID-19 vaccine uptake in children aged 5–17 years, parents’ experience with childhood COVID-19 vaccination and their intention to vaccinate their unvaccinated children and (4) a modified 5C scale tailored to determine parents’ confidence, complacency, constraints, calculation and collective responsibility with regard to COVID-19 vaccination.ResultsThis study included 414 parents (median age=37 years; mothers=62%). COVID-19 vaccination rates for children in the age groups 12–17 years and 5–11 years were 72.5% and 30.1%, respectively. Transient adverse events following immunisation were reported by 32.7% of parents. Of parents with unvaccinated children aged 12–17 years, only 35% intended to vaccinate them. The majority of parents were not willing to vaccinate their children below 11 years of age. Parents with a self-reported positive history of COVID-19 disease (OR=2.531, p=0.016), and confident in the vaccine’s safety and efficacy (OR=1.968, p=0.010), were more inclined to vaccinate their 5–11 years. In terms of vaccination of children below 5 years, confidence in the vaccine (OR=2.942, p=0.003) and a sense of collective responsibility were positive predictors (OR=2.260, p=0.035), while calculation was identified as a negative predictor of parents’ intention to vaccinate their under 5 years (OR=0.421, p=0.018).ConclusionCVH was significantly higher among parents of children aged 5–11 years and children younger than 5 years old. Priority should be given by health authorities to address parental concerns about vaccines and ensure that parents understand the significance of vaccination in protecting their children, to increase vaccination rates. This is because hesitancy towards one specific vaccine can negatively impact hesitancy rates in general.

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Ecological preferences and patient autonomy

Salloch

2024

J Med Ethics

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Healthcare systems contribute considerably to worldwide carbon emissions and therefore reinforce the negative health impacts of climate change. Significant attempts to reduce emissions have been made on the macro level of politics and on the institutional level. Less attention has been paid so far to decisions that take place at the micro level of immediate doctor–patient contact. Current bioethical debates discuss potential tensions between ‘Green Healthcare’ and an orientation towards ethical principles such as promoting patient welfare or respect for patient autonomy. The article addresses this debate from a different angle starting from the premise that at least some patients might have a preference to reduce carbon outputs that are often deeply rooted in their personal value system. Taking different accounts of patient autonomy as a starting point, the article analyses whether such preferences must be respected as being part of patient autonomy. The analysis comes to a positive conclusion but highlights that certain factors such as misinterpretation, lack of understanding or pressure must be carefully considered. In addition, a patient’s climate-related preference does not per se justify the choice of treatment but must be integrated into shared decision-making and reconciled with the healthcare professional’s expert judgement on the intervention being a legitimate and promising way for reaching certain treatment goals. As a recommendation, empirical research on stakeholders’ attitudes, knowledge and practice regarding ecological sustainability in clinical decision-making is needed together with further ethical analyses.

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COVID‐19 vaccination in children as a global dilemma through an ethical lens: A retrospective review

Cited by 6 publications

References 75 publications

Ethical Challenges Involved in COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Children: A Systematic Review

Ethical Challenges Involved in COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Children: A Systematic Review

Parental experience with childhood COVID-19 vaccines and factors associated with parental hesitancy despite being vaccinated: findings of a cross-sectional analysis from Pakistan and implications for the future

Ecological preferences and patient autonomy

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