At this time (Tuesday) the crucial discussion is taking place in the Advisory Committee to the American FDA regarding the vaccinations of children aged 5 to 11.
Following the decision in the United States, a similar discussion will take place in Israel as well. If the experts advising the Ministry of Health recommend approving the vaccine for children, the ministry estimates that it will be given within a few weeks.
Yesterday, a discussion was held by the Association of Public Health Physicians in Israel.
Prof. Arnold Monte, chairman of the FDA Advisory Committee on Corona Vaccines, attended the discussion and said, among other things, that "the process is quite transparent, especially with regard to recommendations.
The open debate is effective and makes people feel more comfortable with the fact that it is driven by science rather than politics. "
Prof. Little Keinan Boker, a member of the team for the treatment of epidemics (ZTM) and director of the Center for Disease Control at the Ministry of Health, said in a discussion about children's vaccines: "This week or next week we will discuss this in ZTM. .
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is already preparing for the information section, which will be conducted through interviews of doctors and professionals in current affairs programs and briefings for reporters, along with a network campaign in which pediatricians will answer public questions about the children's vaccine.
304 children have already been vaccinated
There are already hundreds of children in Israel who have received exceptional approval for the vaccine due to their health condition.
HMO data show that so far 304 children aged 5 to 11 have been vaccinated as part of the exceptional approval.
These are children who suffer from severe lung disease, neurological diseases, immune system suppression or have a high-risk family member for corona.
The permit to vaccinate children in exceptional health conditions was obtained at the Ministry of Health at the end of July and is conditional on an explanation from a medical staff and the consent of the parents.