MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine judge sets conditions for vaccinating children against COVID-19

“People's right to information is safeguarded” with the ruling, Judge López said

A federal judge in the Argentine seaport of Mar del Plata ruled that promoting COVID-19 vaccination for children should be halted until the manufacturers supply those responsible for the minors (i.e. their parents or caretakers) with all pertinent information regarding side effects and other possible consequences.

Federal Judge Alfredo López issued a precautionary injunction encompassing children aged six months to 16 years until “the implementation of the necessary measures is verified by the co-defendants -National Executive Branch and the National Ministry of Health- in order to guarantee access to information related to the effects of the inoculation of those vaccines against covid-19 authorized for distribution in our country, in particular about the adverse effects, contraindications, known and potential risks, at the moment of inoculation, addressed to each legal representative of the minors -or whoever is in charge of them- in a reliable way.”

The Government has two days to file an appeal.

“With the precautionary measure, people's right to information is safeguarded, until a very delicate issue is definitively resolved: whether or not this vaccine should be applied,” López told La Prensa.

COVID-19 vaccines may not be applied to children under 16 unless the magistrate's requirements. It is therefore inaccurate to say that vaccination has been halted altogether. Would-be patients and their caregivers only need to know about possible setbacks from being injected, the cases in which proper medical advice would be against taking the drugs, their possible adverse effects, and the right to compensation in case of death or total or partial disability due to vaccination.

López insisted that once these requirements are met parents who so wish may inoculate their children.