Health Ministry head Nachman Ash has backed the recommendation of an expert panel to allow children under 5 years old to receive the coronavirus vaccine, the Health Ministry says.
The ministry says it will top up supplies at health clinics to ensure there are enough for the nation’s tots in the coming weeks.
The announcement comes a day after a letter was leaked to news outlets in which Ash supported vaccines for kids as young as 6 months old, but did not explicitly back the panel’s advice that shots be recommended for high-risk babies and toddlers.
Wednesday’s statement, however, includes that endorsement.
“The vaccine is especially recommended for children at high risk of serious illness from the coronavirus due to chronic underlying conditions or whose immune system is compromised,” the statement reads.
The ministry notes that its endorsement comes after the US Food and Drug Administration already okayed the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and after two meetings by the panel in which comprehensive analyses found the vaccines to be safe and effective for kids.
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Wednesday, July 6, 2022
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