Covid-19: Israel approves Pfizer vaccines for younger children

Children between the ages of 5 and 11 to be inoculated with Pfizer BioNTech vaccine

Read more...
A 12-year-old boy receives Covid-19 vaccine in Jerusalem. — AP file

By AP

Published: Mon 15 Nov 2021, 1:05 AM

Last updated: Mon 15 Nov 2021, 1:09 AM

Israel on Sunday approved giving the Covid-19 vaccine to children between the ages of 5 and 11.

The Health Ministry decision follows approval by US health authorities earlier this month to OK the vaccine for the same age group.

Advertising
Advertising

Israel was one of the first countries in the world to carry out a broad vaccination campaign in its adult and adolescent population early this year, and it became the first country to carry out a widespread booster campaign over the summer.

ALSO READ:

Experts say Israel’s aggressive vaccination efforts have helped curb the spread of the coronavirus and bring a recent wave of the delta variant under control. But it has seen the coronavirus continue to spread among unvaccinated populations, including children.

In a statement, the ministry said its director-general, Dr Nachman Ash, accepted a recommendation from expert advisers to inoculate children with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine. It said a majority of advisers believed the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks.

The ministry said it would announce a date for beginning the campaign in the coming days. Israeli media said the vaccinations of a child-sized dose of the vaccine were expected to start next week.

AP

Published: Mon 15 Nov 2021, 1:05 AM

Last updated: Mon 15 Nov 2021, 1:09 AM

Recommended for you