Children with co-morbidities required to be registered for Pfizer vaccinations

The Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital has requested parents to register their children aged between 12 and 19 years suffering from disabilities or chronic illness to schedule a date and time for COVID-19 vaccinations.

The parents are required to produce all the medical records of the child when bringing them for vaccinations, according to a notice published in the official website of the hospital.

A Consultant Paediatrician will assess the relevant medical records before deciding whether the vaccine would be administered. Hence, registering for vaccination does not guarantee that the child will definitely receive the vaccine, the notice read further.

The registration form can be accessed from the Lady Ridgeway Hospital’s website.

Rolling out Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for the children with co-morbidities who belong to the aforementioned age group is all set to commence at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital tomorrow (Sep. 24).

In the initial phase of this program, vaccinations will continue in Colombo, Kalutara, Gampaha, Kurunegala and Anuradhapura districts. A stepwise scaling up to other provinces/districts will be done in due course, the Director-General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena said, directing a set of guidelines to relevant health authorities in these areas.

The parents will be required to sign a letter giving consent to administer the Pfizer vaccine to their children.

As per the guidelines, children who recovered from COVID-19 should be vaccinated irrespective of the previous infection disease condition. They can be vaccinated after two weeks since recovery.

The underlying health conditions eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations are as follows:

1. Primary immune deficiency disorders

2. Acquired immune suppression due to disease or treatment:
• Haematological malignancies, including leukaemia and lymphoma
• Any other malignancy on radiotherapy or chemotherapy
• On biological therapy
• On high or moderate doses of corticosteroids
• On any other immune modulating or suppressant drug like methotrexate, azathioprine, MMF, tacrolimus, cyclophosphamide
• Any transplant recipient
• Any condition which requires a long-term immunosuppressive treatments

3. Haematological conditions or other causes leading to asplenia or splenic dysfunction:
• Thalassemia major and intermedius, 
• Hereditary spherocytosis
• Sickle cell disease

4. Endocrine disorders:
• Diabetes mellitus
• Addison’s disease
• Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia                
• Hypopituitary syndrome
• Other significant hormonal dysfunction

5. Chronic neuro-disability:
• Cerebral palsy
• Autism
• Epilepsy,
• Neuro-degenerative diseases
• Neuro-muscular disorders

6. Congenital genetic syndromes with any chronic disability or disorder and learning disabilities
• Down syndrome
• Severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities due to any aetiology

7. Any other significant genetic and/or metabolic abnormalities that affect a number of systems

8. Chronic heart disorders
• Unrepaired congenital heart diseases
• Repaired heart diseases with significant residual diseases or shunts
• Haemodynamically significant acquired heart diseases

9. Chronic respiratory disorders
• Poorly controlled asthma which requires long term oral steroids or a history of severe asthma which required an ICU care 
• Cystic fibrosis
• Bronchopulmonary dysplasia
• Interstitial lung diseases
• Significant bronchiectasis due to any aetiology
• Pulmonary hypertension

10. Chronic disease involving genito-urinary tract
• Chronic kidney diseases due to any cause
• Nephrotic syndrome on regular follow up
• On treatment for glomerulonephritis
• Any other chronic condition involving genito-urinary tract

11. Chronic disease involving gastrointestinal tract
• Chronic liver cell diseases due to any cause
• Chronic gastrointestinal disorders including inflammatory bowel disease
• Malabsorption syndrome

12. Chronic rheumatological diseases
• Presence of active connective tissue diseases
• Presently being on long-term prophylaxis fever
• Any other rheumatological or surgical condition with disability, requiring long-term treatment

13. Being on long-term treatment for chronic psychiatric diseases

14. Any other child with significant co-morbid condition as recommended by the treating consultant in relevant speciality and endorsed by the paediatrician and physician in the vaccination centre

The list of hospitals where Pfizer vaccinations for children with specified co-morbidities will be carried out:

Kalutara District
• Panadura Base Hospital
• Horana Base Hospital
• Pimbura Base Hospital
• Kalutara District General Hospital
• Beruwala Base Hospital

Colombo District
• Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila
• Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama
• Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) for Children
• Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH)
• Colombo East Base Hospital, Mulleriyawa
• Dr. Neville Fernando Hospital
• Sri Jayewardenepura Teaching Hospital
• Sri Lanka Military Hospital
• Police Hospital
• Navy Hospital, Welisara
• Kotelawala Defence Teaching Hospital
• Avissawella Base Hospital
• Homagama Base Hospital

Gampaha District
• Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama
• Gampaha District General Hospital
• Negombo District General Hospital
• Wathupitiwela Base Hospital
• Mirigama Base Hospital
• Minuwangoda Base Hospital
• Kiribathgoda Base Hospital

Anuradhapura District
• Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital

Kurunegala District
• Kurunegala Teaching Hospital