Children from the age of twelve in the European Union can now also be vaccinated with the corona vaccine from Pfizer / Biontech. Following a recommendation from the drug authority EMA, the EU Commission officially granted approval on Monday, according to its own information. In Germany, however, the Standing Vaccination Commission has not yet made a recommendation.
With the preparation of the Mainz-based company and its US partner, a corona vaccine is now approved for the first time in Europe for people under 16 years of age. The EMA had given the assessment on Friday that the application was safe for children. The basis was the examination by the responsible expert committee.
“To end this crisis, every dose counts”
“The member states can now decide whether to expand their vaccination campaign to young people,” wrote EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides on Monday on Twitter. “Every dose counts to end this crisis.”
The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) in Germany has indicated that it may not want to give a general vaccination recommendation for all children, but only for previously ill children. Stiko member Christian Bogdan said at the weekend that “there is still a lack of data on side effects”. And he added: “A child’s immune response can be different from that of an adult. That’s why you need more data. “
Protection at 100 percent
In Canada and the USA, the health authorities had already allowed its use in 12 to 15 year olds a few weeks ago. The protection against Covid 19 disease is 100 percent, the manufacturers explain on the basis of a study. The EMA saw no evidence of serious side effects.
The German Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn welcomed the EMA’s recommendation on Friday as “great news”. The CDU politician had pleaded weeks ago that all children and adolescents should be vaccinated. A federal-state group decided last week that from June 7th one can also try to arrange vaccination appointments for children – then priority rules no longer apply and vaccination is theoretically open to all citizens, provided that vaccine is available. From Spahn’s point of view, parents and doctors should make individual decisions. (cat / SDA)