Children’s Vaccination Likely Next Month: Union Health Minister

The children’s vaccination program may start from next month onward, Indian Health Minister Manusukh Madaviya said on Tuesday.

According to NDTV, the minister said this in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a BJP MP’s meeting.

This will be a giant step in breaking the chain of transmission and also reopening schools across the country, the report said.

The following is a list of some countries which approved or considering vaccinating children according to Reuters:

EU COUNTRIES

* Denmark will administer vaccines for children aged 12-15, broadcaster TV 2 reported on June 17, citing sources.

* France has started vaccinating those from 12 years upwards, provided they have parental consent.

* Germany’s vaccine advisory committee recommended on June 10 that only children and adolescents with pre-existing conditions should be given Pfizer’s vaccine.

* Austria aims to have over 340,000 children aged 12-15 vaccinated by the end of August, according to news site Vindobona.

* Estonia could start vaccinating teenagers by the autumn, public broadcaster ERR reported, citing the head of the government’s COVID-19 council.

* Hungary started vaccinating 16 to 18-year-olds in mid-May, according to Xinhua news agency.

* Italy on May 31 approved extending the use of Pfizer’s vaccine to 12-15 year olds.

* Lithuania’s prime minister said the country could start vaccinating children from age 12 in June, news site Delfi reported.

* Spain plans to start vaccinating children between 12 and 17 years old around two weeks before the academic year starts in September, the health minister said.

EUROPE (NON-EU)

* Britain’s vaccines committee will not make a decision on vaccinating teens until July, the Independent reported, though the country’s regulator has already approved Pfizer’s shot for 12- to 15-year olds.

* Switzerland approved on June 4 vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds with Pfizer’s shot, ahead of the country’s plan to start inoculating younger people starting as early as July.

* Norway may consider the Pfizer vaccine for children who have a high risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19, VG newspaper reported.

* San Marino has opened vaccinations for children aged 12-15, reported San Marino RTV, citing its Institute for Social Security.

MIDDLE EAST

* With the Delta variant driving cases up, Israel is urging vaccination for all children aged 12-15, after eligibility was extended to this age group in May.

* Dubai has started offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to 12 to 15-year-olds, after the United Arab Emirates approved the shot for emergency use for the same age group in mid-May.

ASIA-PACIFIC

* Indonesia on June 28 recommended China’s Sinovac vaccine for children aged 12-17 and its president said vaccination could start soon.

* Serum Institute of India plans to start clinical trials of the Novavax shot for children in July, reported ANI news agency on June 25, citing sources.

* New Zealand’s medicines regulator has provisionally approved use of Pfizer’s vaccine for 12-15 year olds, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on June 21.

* China on June 5 approved emergency use of Sinovac’s vaccine for those between three and 17.

* Hong Kong said on June 3 it would open its vaccine scheme to children over the age of 12.

* Singapore opened up its vaccination programme to adolescents aged 12-18 from June 1.

* Japan on May 28 approved the use of Pfizer’s vaccine for those aged 12 and above.

* The Philippines on May 26 decided to allow the Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine for emergency use in children aged 12-15.

AMERICAS

* Brazil on June 11 approved use of Pfizer’s vaccine for children over 12.

* Chile has approved use of Pfizer’s vaccine for 12 to 16-year-olds.

* U.S. states began inoculating young adolescents in mid-May.

* Canada in early May approved use of Pfizer’s vaccine for use in children aged 12-15.