How will the vaccination strategy of boys between 12 and 17 years old against Covid be with Moderna

Paula galinsky

07/23/2021 7:24 PM

• Clarín.com

• Society

Updated 07/23/2021 7:24 PM

What the government expected finally happened. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended this Friday to

authorize Moderna's vaccine

against the coronavirus for emergency use in adolescents and the Ministry of Health of the Nation has already announced that part of the

3.5 million doses

donated by United States to

immunize boys between the ages of 12 and 17 with risk factors

. The vaccination strategy for minors will be finalized in a new meeting of the Federal Health Council (COFESA), to be held

next Tuesday

. What is known so far and what are the expected definitions?

In total, it is estimated that

900,000 boys between 12 and 17 years old with some risk factor

would receive two doses of this vaccine. In other words, 1.8 million doses would be allocated to this group. The comorbidities to be considered will be confirmed at the COFESA meeting, although the portfolio led by Carla Vizzotti has already announced that the incorporation of

"heart, neurological, kidney, respiratory, obesity and some types of disability

is being evaluated

.

"

In the statement released by Salud de Nación, they also indicate that "other conditions of vulnerability that will be specified at next week's meeting" will be taken into account. As

Clarín was

able to find out

, among them would be living with people who have risk factors. In other words, immunization with Moderna

could reach adolescents who, for example, live with adults or with other children with comorbidities

. This is one of the points that could be considered in the COFESA meeting.

In the province of Buenos Aires, they estimate that there are

more than 200 thousand

adolescents with risk factors.

In that territory, on Monday they opened the registration for minors between 13 and 17 years old with and without comorbidities.

They already have

351 thousand registered

.

Of these, 64 thousand have risk factors, as specified by the Buenos Aires Health portfolio to this newspaper.

Moderna's vaccine is made up of two equal doses.

AP Photo

The same source explained that the guidelines for boys will be the same as those that have been implemented with adults, in terms of registration.

In this case, they must also present a certificate or a medical order proving the existence of risk factors.

In cases where it is necessary, as with the elderly, vaccination will be contemplated at the minor's home.

In Buenos Aires territory, boys between 12 and 13 years old must present an affidavit in which their father, mother or guardian authorizes the vaccination.

As explained by Provincial Health, by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, from the age of 13 it is considered that the boy can already decide on his health so, from that age, said documentation will not be requested.

The City's Health portfolio was also consulted about its vaccination plan for minors. As explained, they will add details about it after the meeting on Tuesday. “In the last COFESA meeting they asked not to open the registrations until all the parameters were defined. Therefore, we are going to wait ”, they told this newspaper. It is estimated that in Capital there are between

20 and 30 thousand

boys and adolescents with comorbidities.

Everything indicates that at the meeting next Tuesday, which would start around 9 o'clock and would last until 6:00 p.m., progress will also be made on the criteria to be followed with the rest of the available doses of Moderna.

If the adolescents considered "at risk" are 900 thousand, there would be another

850 thousand people to be vaccinated with the 1.7 million doses remaining

from the donation made by the United States.

Health ministers from all over the country will participate in the meeting and specialists from the National Immunization Commission (CoNaIn) will take the floor, who will propose the guidelines of the strategy.

MG

Look also

Argentina will begin vaccinating 12 to 17-year-olds with Moderna next week

Parents of boys with comorbidities present more protections, expectant before the announcement of the vaccination with Moderna