#KZNSoundsOff: Should children need parents' consent to get vaccinated?
Minister of Health Joe Phaahla recently confirmed that vaccinations will be opened for 12 to 17-year-olds.
When it comes to parental consent, there are multiple laws and regulations that require parents to give their children permission before they can do certain things.
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Children can't just go out and get married without their parent's consent before the age of 21, kids can't get tattoos before they're 18 without their parents saying it's okay, and there are many other examples of this as well.
However, the Department of Health has now made a very interesting announcement.
READ: Covid jab for 12-17 cohort to open next week: Phaahla
According to ECR News, they have said that they are hoping to increase the vaccination drive by allowing children aged 12 to 17 to get vaccinated by rolling out the programme at schools later this year.
They are hoping that this will add another six-million vaccinations to the programme, with half of them being vaccinated by the school holidays.
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Since we want the pandemic to come to an end and everything to go back to "normal", this sounds like a good idea, right?
The more people that are vaccinated the quicker we can fight this virus and not have to worry about this deadly disease.
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But children generally still need parental consent for major life choices, before they are adults at 21-years-old.
This begs the question: should children, aged 12 and over, be allowed to get vaccinated without their parents/guardians' consent?
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