The approval for a booster vaccination was previously only available from the age of 18. This could change soon.
Amsterdam – The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has given the green light for the booster vaccination of children from the age of 12 with the corona vaccine from the manufacturers Pfizer and Biontech. This was announced by the EMA in Amsterdam.
The experts also agree on the basic vaccination of children from six to eleven years with the vaccine from the manufacturer Moderna. The EU Commission must make a final decision. This is considered a formality. However, the EMA emphasized that the EU member states themselves decide whether a booster vaccination should be offered to children.
According to the EMA, the booster vaccination with the Pfizer preparation has a lower dose for children than for adults. The vaccine is already approved as a basic vaccination in two doses for people aged 5 and over. However, the approval for a booster vaccination was previously only available from the age of 18. A booster is given after the primary immunization, which usually consists of two vaccinations. According to the EMA, this increases protection against infection and serious illness.
The authority’s experts had previously checked data from the manufacturer and studies. No new security risks have become known.
Moderna’s vaccine should also be approved for children aged 6 to 11. The effectiveness and safety of the preparation is just as high as in adults. For children, the dose should be reduced by 50 percent, as the EMA announced. Studies have shown that the immune protection in children is as high as in adolescents aged 18 to 25 with the high dose. Possible side effects include pain and redness at the injection site, fatigue, headache, nausea, fever or joint pain. dpa
