COVID19: Cyprus to vaccinate children aged five

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Cyprus is going ahead with vaccinating children between the ages of five and eleven against COVID-19 next month, according to Health Ministry’s official Christina Yiannaki.

Talking to Alpha TV on Thursday, Yiannaki said that following the green light for children’s vaccinations by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), Cyprus would roll out vaccinations for five to eleven-year-olds.

She told Alpha TV that all EU states are positive to the EMA recommendation.

There is no official announcement by the EMA yet, however.

Yiannaki said health authorities plan to roll out vaccines for children towards the end of December.

She said the decision was taken on Wednesday during a meeting of the National Vaccination Committee.

“This is a very important decision,” argued Yiannaki.

Initially, COVID-19 parents will be able to take their children to walk-in vaccination centres, while later on, mobile units will visit schools.

The government has already ordered vaccines for children, which will also be in two doses, and are expected to arrive around December 20.

The health ministry’s permanent secretary said the dose given to children would be smaller than for adults.

Vaccination for children over age five will be optional.

Yiannaki said details of the plan would be announced soon.

Asked about parents’ negative reaction to the obligatory use of masks for children aged six and above, Yiannaki said these measures are necessary to protect them from getting the virus and spreading it.

“Whatever measures are taken are for the common good and public health, also of children”.

The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human was to hold an extraordinary meeting on Thursday to deliver a decision on extending the use of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine Comirnaty to children aged five to 11.