US Allows Covid-19 Shots For Children Aged 5 to 11. Here Is A List Of Other Countries Vaccinating Kids

Vaccinating younger children will "allow parents to end months of anxious worrying about their kids, and reduce the extent to which children spread the virus to others," President Joe Biden said.

A child receives the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine in Connecticut on November 2, 2021.

New Delhi: With the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) giving its nod to the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine for inoculation of children aged 5 to 11, the country is set to start vaccinating children. The US government and Pfizer have already started shipping the drug across the country in preparation for the vaccination drive.

"Today, we have reached a turning point in our battle against COVID-19," Biden said in a statement released by the White House. 

Vaccinating younger children will "allow parents to end months of anxious worrying about their kids, and reduce the extent to which children spread the virus to others. It is a major step forward for our nation in our fight to defeat the virus", he said.

Several other countries have also started vaccinating the young, while others are in the process of starting their campaigns.

In India, the expert committee (SEC) of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) recently recommended emergency use of Covaxin to inoculate children aged 2-18 years against the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Bharat Biotech, which makes the vaccine submitted data from phase 3 trials of the drug, involving children, a final nod from the DCGI is awaited.

According to reports, the data showed the efficacy rate of the Covaxin shot among children at 77.8 per cent, similar to that among adults.

Countries that have started vaccinating children

European countries like Denmark, France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Italy have already begun vaccinating their children with Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine, usually between ages of 12-15 or 12 and 17. Italy has added the Moderna vaccine also to the pool for children.

Greece said in July children aged 12-15 could be vaccinated against COVID-19 with Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna shots. Spain began vaccinating children between 12 and 17 years old around two weeks before the academic year in September. Finland's capital Helsinki said in June it will begin giving COVID-19 vaccines to children aged 12 to 15 who are at the risk of contracting a severe coronavirus infection. 

Among non-EU countries, Norway has offered one dose of Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to children aged 12 to 15. On June 4, Switzerland began vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds with Pfizer's shot, while Moderna was also approved later for the age group. On October 19, the UK said it will open up a COVID vaccine booking service to those aged 12-15.

New Zealand, which has been at the top at its game to keep the virus out, provisionally approved the use of Pfizer's vaccine for 12-15-year-olds in June.

On June 5, China approved emergency use of Sinovac's vaccine for children and teens between three and 17 years of age. Singapore opened up its vaccination programme to adolescents aged 12-18 from June 1. Japan had approved the use of Pfizer's vaccine for those aged 12 and above on May 28.

Canada also approved use of Pfizer's vaccine for use in children aged 12-15 in early May but the decision for children between 5 and 11 years of age is not likely to come before mid- to end-November.

Many South American countries, Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina, Cuba, Columbia, Costa Rica have begun vaccinating children aged as young as 5. 

South Africa will start vaccinating children between the ages of 12 and 17 next week using the Pfizer shots.