Nearly 2500 children under 5 hospitalised with Covid-19

Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

The Green Party is calling for the Covid-19 vaccine to be made universally available for children under five, after discovering nearly 2500 were hospitalised for Covid since the early stages of the Omicron outbreak.

A Written Parliamentary Question from the Greens’ Covid-19 Response spokesperson Teanau Tuiono to the minister of health asked “how many children under 5 have been hospitalised due to Covid-19 since February 2022?”

The minister, Dr Ayesha Verrall, replied “As at 24 February 2023, 2458 children under five have been hospitalised due to Covid-19 since February 2022.”

Tuiono told RNZ the numbers were “horrendously high”.

“There needs to be a rethink here. The government needs to get a move on. People might have moved on from Covid, but Covid hasn’t moved on from us, and we need to react and respond accordingly.”

Last month, a version of the Pfizer vaccine containing a lower dose of mRNA was made available for use in children under five who are severely immunocompromised or who have complex/multiple health conditions which would increase the risk of severe disease.

Tuiono said that based on the hospitalisation numbers, there was a strong argument to widen access.

“Something needs to happen. We’re not convinced there’s a case for making this targeted rather than a universally available vaccine, given the extent of hospitalisations of under-fives.”

But the health minister said there were no current plans to broaden the vaccine’s eligibility.

In a statement, Verrall told RNZ the Ministry of Health’s Covid-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group [CV TAG] took several factors into account when considering vaccination for the age group, including the high proportion of children under five who had already been exposed to Covid, and consideration of hospitalisation and mortality data.

“Medsafe has concluded at this stage that children aged six months to four years who are not in a risk category have a very low likelihood of severe illness from Covid-19 infection,” Verrall said.

She said the CV TAG “will continue to review information on Covid-19 and Covid-19 vaccines and will make further recommendations if necessary”.

The prime minister said he had not seen the most recent advice on widening access, but availability for under-five-year-olds was broadly in line with other countries New Zealand “compared notes” with.

“We’ll continue to follow that scientific, health-based advice. Vaccination for younger people, there’s always a weighing there, a balance between the risk and the benefits,” Chris Hipkins said.

FAKAMATALA FAKATONGA

Kuo ui ‘a e Green Party ke faka’atā faka’univesale ‘a e  huhu malu’i Koviti ki he fanau ‘i lalo he ta’u nima hili ia hano ilo ne ofi ‘i he toko 2500 ne takoto fale mahaki tupu mei he Koviti talu mei he kamakamata mai e to ‘a e Omikoloni’.

Ne ‘eke ‘e ha matāpule ‘a e Greens’ Covid-19 Response Teanau Tuiono ki he Potungaue Mo’ui pe ko e fanau ‘e toko fiha i lalo he ta’u nima ne takoto tu’unga he Koviti talu mei Fepueli 2022.

Ne pehe ‘e he Minisita Dr Ayesha Verrall, mei Fepueli ‘aho  2023, ko e fanau ‘e toko 2458  i lalo he ta’u nima.

Pehe ‘e Tuiono ki he ongoongo ‘a e RNZ ne fu’u lahi ‘a e fika’.

Pehe ‘e he Green oku totonu ke fai ha nga’unu mei heni. Malava pe kuo hoko atu e kakai mei he Koviti, ka kuo teeki mavahe ‘a e Koviti meia tautolu pea oku tonu ke tau fai ha ngaue.

I he mahina kuo osi, ne ‘ata ai ki he fanau iiki ha vesini ‘o e huhu malu’i Faisa ‘a ia ko kinautolu ia ‘oku tu’u fakatuutamaki pe lahi ange ‘a e ngaahi faingata’a’ia ‘o e ‘enau mo’ui he Koviti.

Pehe ‘e Tu’iono fakatatau ki he lahi ‘o e takoto fale mahaki ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e taukave malohi ke fakalahi ‘a hono ma’u ‘o e faito’o.

Oku fiema’u ha me’a ke hoko. Oku te’eki ke tau tui kuo ‘i ai ha keisi ke a’u ki he taketi ko eni kae ikai ko e faka’ata faka’univesale pe, i hono fakahoa ki he lahi ‘a e takoto fale mahaki ‘a e fanau ‘i lalo he ta’u nima.

Ka kuo pehe he Minisita Mo’ui ‘oku ikai ha palani ke fakalahi ‘a e ngofua ke huhu malu’i.

I ha fakamatala ki he RNZ ne pehe e Verrall na’e fakakaukau’i ‘e he va’a Covid-19 Vaccine Technical Advisory Group [CV TAG] ‘a e Potungaue Mo’ui ha ngaahi makatu’unga ki he huhu malu’i fakatatau ki he to’u’, kau ai ‘a e tokolahi o e fanau ‘i he ta’u ‘i lalo he ta’u nima.

Kuo pehe e he Medsafe ko ene tuu ko eni ko e fanau mahina e ono ki he ta’u fa ‘oku ‘ikai ke fakatu’utamaki e tu’unga nau ‘i ai e si’i pe hanau fu’u uesia mei he pipihi ‘a e Koviti.

Na’a pehe ‘e hoko atu pe hono toutou liviu ‘e he CV TAG e Koviti 19 pea mo e huhu malu’i Koviti 19 pea ‘e fai ai ha fale’i ‘amui ange.

Na’e pehe ‘e he palemia kuo te’eki ke ne sio he fale’i ke fakalahi ‘a e ‘atā ki he huhu ka ko e atā ki he fanau ‘i lalo he ta’u nima ‘oku fenapasi pe ia mo e ngaahi fonua kehe mei Nu’u Sila ni.

Na’a ne toe pehe ‘e hokohoko atu hono muia ‘a e fale’i ko ia ki he mo’ui.