As India Announces Vaccination for Children, Here's a List of Countries Inoculating Those Aged 15-18

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced that vaccination against Covid-19 for children between 15-18 years will start in the country from January 3 amid concerns over the surge in Omicron variant of Coronavirus. Underlining that he was sharing key decisions with the people of the country on the occasion of Christmas, Modi said this will reduce the worries of children going to schools and colleges and their parents, and boost the fight against the pandemic. The move is also likely to aid in normalisation of teaching in schools, he added.

India’s decision to expand the vaccination programme to include children comes as countries around the world take cautionary measures as infections surge in Europe amid concerns over the new Omicron variant. However, the World Health Organisation has urged countries and companies that control global vaccine supplies to prioritize allocations to the COVAX scheme.

The following is a list of some countries that have approved or are considering vaccinating children in the 15-18 age group:

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s health ministry in November approved the use of China’s Sinovac Biotech Covid-19 vaccine for 16 and 17-year-olds, adding that the country aimed to achieve herd immunity by the end of December. “All the provinces, secondary schools, colleges, universities and vaccination centres are hereby required to commence the vaccination campaign of this age group with immediate effect,” an official statement said.

Egypt

Egypt authorized Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 15-18 in early November. Weeks later, the country lowered the minimum age of eligibility to receive the two-shot vaccine in Egypt, from 15 to 12.

Vietnam

Vietnam began vaccinating teenagers aged 15 and 17 in late October. Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is given in Vietnam’s coronavirus vaccination for adolescents aged 15 to 17.

Mexico

Mexico was reported to have started vaccinating 15-year-olds. A Reuters report said, the COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer-BioNTech will be the only one used in Mexico for at-risk children aged 12-17.

US Covid-19 Booster

The US Food and Drug Administration has expanded emergency-use authorization for a booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for those in 16 and 17 years age group to receive a third shot at least six months after their second vaccine dose.

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