The European Medicines Agency (EMA) plans to approve the Biontech vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11 this week. This means that younger children can also be officially vaccinated against Corona. So far, this has only been possible via what is known as off-label use – if doctors and parents were able to justify this, the children could also be vaccinated without approval, for example with previous illnesses, but not only then. So far, however, few doctors have offered this – on the one hand because many wanted to wait for approval, on the other hand because there was sometimes massive hostility against doctors who also vaccinate healthy children.
No vaccination recommendation yet
It is important: The approval does not mean a recommendation, it is only the official signal: This vaccine is safe, even for children under 12. The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) has already announced that it wants to weigh carefully. On the one hand, young children very rarely become seriously ill, on the other hand, vaccinated children mean more protection for their environment and offer less space for virus variants. The question of long covid in children has probably not yet been adequately clarified. A statement from the STIKO is expected in the coming weeks. –
