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In Canada - like here in Toronto - 5 to 11-year-olds have also been vaccinated against the corona virus since Thursday.
The decision is still pending in Germany
Photo: Steve Russell / imago images / ZUMA Press
Politicians keep pushing the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) to speed up their recommendations.
Most recently, the Managing Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) promised vaccination for children aged five and over for just before Christmas.
Now the Stiko chairman Thomas Mertens is putting a brake on expectations. He can understand when parents are skeptical about vaccinating their children. "I can understand that very well, and it basically corresponds to the problem that Stiko is faced with with its recommendation - namely weighing up the benefits and possible 'residual risks' for children in this age group," Mertens said of the "Schwäbische Zeitung" for vaccinating children aged five to eleven.
In an approval study by the company Biontech / Pfizer, no serious vaccine reactions or side effects were documented, said Mertens.
After a relatively short observation period, the effectiveness of the vaccine corresponds roughly to that of adults in the children.
However, the figures from the current studies are not sufficient to rule out rare side effects.
You have to include the results of previous studies and application data.
Preparing the decision on a recommendation, said Mertens.
Approval expected by Ema
The EU is one step further: The European Medicines Agency Ema wants to decide this Thursday on the approval of the corona vaccine from the manufacturer Pfizer / Biontech for children from the age of five.
Admission is expected.
The responsible experts had examined the data on the risks and effectiveness of the vaccine in five to eleven year olds for a good two months.
If the Ema experts give the green light, the EU Commission has to give its official approval - but this is a formality.
Stiko intends to make its recommendation for Germany before the end of the year.
In Europe, the vaccine from Pfizer and Biontech has so far only been approved for people aged twelve and over.
But in Israel, the USA and Canada, children from the age of five can be vaccinated with it.
The Federal Ministry of Health expects that the vaccine for children will be available for years from December 20, 2021 and has initially provided around 2.4 million doses.
There are a total of 9.2 million children under the age of twelve in Germany.
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