JamiiTalks
JF Advocacy Team
- Aug 7, 2018
- 685
- 1,124
Shirika la Kuhudumia Watoto Duniani (UNICEF) linasema kuwa watoto wanapaswa kufahamu kinachoendelea kuhusu Chanjo ya COVID-19 na ni muhimu wapewe majibu ya kirafiki
Kama mzazi ana hofu kuwa taarifa aliyo nayo inaweza kumstua mtoto, inashauriwa kutoonesha hofu hiyo kwani hisia za watoto zinafuata vile wahisivyo watu wazima
Michezo inaweza kutumika kuwasaidia watoto wadogo wanaopitia hisia za kuumiza
Inashauriwa kujibu maswali yao
Haya ni baadhi ya majibu ya kupendeza kwa maswali ya watoto juu ya chanjo za COVID-19
Chanjo ni nini?
- Chanjo ni kama ngao inayokukinga na ugonjwa.
Chanjo hufanyaje kazi?
- Chanjo hufundisha mwili wako jinsi ya kupambana na magonjwa. Wanafanya hivyo kwa kuweka kipande (au kitu kinachoonekana kama chembechembe) ndani ya mwili wako, ili mwili wako ujifunze inachohitaji kufanya ili kupambana nayo. Kwa njia hii ikiwa utapata ugonjwa huo mwili wako unajua nini cha kufanya, hivyo hukuzuia kuugua.
Chanjo ni salama?
- Ndio, chanjo ni salama sana! Mamilioni ya watoto (na watu wazima!) Hupata chanjo kila mwaka, ambayo husaidia kuwakinga na magonjwa mengi. Tunapopata chanjo, tunaweza kupata joto au maumivu kadhaa, lakini hii haidumu kwa muda mrefu na ni bora mara nyingi kuliko kuugua ugonjwa. Ishara hizi pia zinaonyesha kuwa chanjo inafanya kazi na kwamba mwili wako unaunda kinga inayohitaji kupambana na ugonjwa huo.
Ninaweza kupata chanjo ya COVID-19 lini?
- Watu wazee [toa mfano wa mtu wa familia au rafiki] wako katika hatari zaidi ya kuugua kutokana na COVID-19 kuliko watoto. Ndiyo sababu chanjo zinapewa watu wazima kwanza. Madaktari sasa wanajaribu chanjo ili kuhakikisha kuwa zinafanya kazi vizuri kwa watoto pia. Tutapata habari kutoka kwa Wizara yetu ya Afya mara tu ikiwa tayari kwa watoto. Kwa wakati huu, ni muhimu tuendelee kujiweka salama sisi wenyewe na wengine kwa kuvaa barakoa, kunawa mikono na kukaa umbali angalau wa mita moja kutoka walipo wengine.
Ninaogopa sindano! Je, lazima nichomwe?
- Ninaelewa unavyohisi, lakini huwa ni jambo la sekunde moja tu. Utasikia kidogo tu na kisha inatoweka, kama vile ulivyofanya kwa chanjo zingine. Wakati na ikiwa ni wakati wa watoto kupewa chanjo ya COVID19, tutafanya mazoezi ya jinsi inavyofanyika tukiwa nyumbani kabla ya kwenda kwa daktari. Kwa njia hiyo, utajua nini cha kutarajia na tunaweza kupanga kitu kizuri baadaye kusherehekea ujasiri wako.
--------
Children have a right to know what is going on, but it should be explained to them in an age-appropriate way. Keep in mind that kids take their emotional cues from adults, so even if you are worried for your little one knowing that they might be uncomfortable, try not to overshare your fears with your child. Play can be a helpful tool for working through difficult emotions with younger children. If your little one seems anxious, try drawing together or exploring his/her feelings through pretend play.
Answer their questions
Here are some kid-friendly responses to keep in your back pocket for questions your child may have about COVID-19 vaccines:
What is a vaccine?
A vaccine is like a shield that protects you from an illness.
How do vaccines work?
Vaccines teach your body how to fight off illnesses. They do that by putting a tiny piece of the germ that causes the illness you need protection from (or something that looks like the germ) inside your body, so your body can learn what it needs to do to fight it off. This way if you ever come into contact with the illness your body knows exactly what to do, which stops you from getting sick.
Are vaccines safe?
Yes, vaccines are very safe! Millions of children (and adults!) get vaccinated every year, which helps protect them from lots of diseases. When we get a vaccine, we might get a temperature or some aches, but this doesn’t last long and is many times better than getting sick from the illness. These signs also show that the vaccine is working and that your body is building up the protection it needs to fight the disease.
When can I get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Older people [give an example of a family member or friend] are more at risk of getting sick from COVID-19 than children. That’s why the vaccines are being given to adults first. Doctors are now testing the vaccines to make sure that they work well for children too. We will get the news from our Ministry of Health once it’s ready for kids. In the meantime, it’s important that we continue to keep ourselves and others safe by wearing masks, washing our hands and physical distancing.
A note for parents: Children are not amongst the priority groups for receiving COVID-19 vaccines and that this will remain the case for many countries in the world. This is because the focus is on protecting those most at risk of severe disease and death due to COVID-19 – the elderly, those with other illnesses and front-line health workers. These populations must be vaccinated prior to the vaccination of children.
I’m scared of shots! Do I have to get one?
I understand how you’re feeling, but here’s the thing: It’ll be over in the blink of an eye! You’ll feel a quick pinch and then all done, just like you did for other vaccines. When and if it’s time for children to be vaccinated, we’ll practice what it’s like at home before we go to your appointment. That way, you’ll know exactly what to expect and we can plan something nice afterwards to celebrate!
Remember, if you don’t know the answer, don’t guess. Use it as an opportunity to explore the answers together. Websites of international organizations like UNICEF and the World Health Organization are great sources of information. If you have an older child, they can learn more and get involved on Voices of Youth, a global community of young people.
Source: UNICEF
