United States: dogs to help children get vaccinated

IMMUNIZATION – Since the beginning of November, the United States has authorized the vaccination of children under the age of 11. They can now receive a dose of Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine against Covid-19. If many of them have taken the plunge, in the small room to take action, some lose their means, as you can see in the video above.

“I saw how many children were suffering. They wanted the vaccine, but they walked through the door and thought of a needle and collapsed, ”says Kristin Gist, a volunteer at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego. To help them experience this moment in a less painful way, the establishment has set up the “Paws for Hope” program. 15 therapy dogs including Ollie roam the halls and sit next to crying children.

“When the dog arrived, he brought some relief and made the process much easier,” says Carlos Delgado, spokesperson for the hospital. The children caress him and put aside their anxiety.

The United States is not the only one that has authorized the vaccination of children. Israel, China, the United Arab Emirates and Cambodia have also taken the plunge. Since November 15, Austria has become the first EU country to initiate this process. In France, the vaccination of under 11s continues to be debated and has not yet taken place.

See also on The HuffPost: Véran’s response to the breach of medical confidentiality at school

–