Israel claimed on Sunday that children ages five to 11 are eligible for Covid-19 vaccination and that the campaign start date will be made public in a few days.
The decision, announced by the Ministry of Health, is known after it was approved last week by a panel of vaccine experts.
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It is also given in line with the green light of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the emergency use of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech for the same group, with a dose of 10 micrograms.
The original injection given to those over 12 years of age is 30 micrograms. Pfizer and BioNTech have said their vaccine was 90.7 percent effective against coronavirus in a clinical trial in children from five to 11 years old.
In a statement, the Ministry said the start date for children ages five to 11 to begin receiving the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine would be set in a few days.
“Most of the experts on the committee were of the opinion that the benefit of vaccinate this age group outweighed any risk, “the statement said.
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Israel’s population of 9.4 million is relatively young, with about 1.2 million children in the five to 11-year-old age group. Health officials doubt that the country can achieve the “herd immunity”Unless those children are vaccinated.
An opinion poll in Israel last week showed that 27 percent of parents would allow their children under the age of 12 to receive the vaccine, with 33 percent against and 40 percent undecided.
Four million Israelis have received booster injections.
Information from Reuters.
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