Israel approves Covid-19 shots for youngest children

Israel on Tuesday (July 5) approved Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines for youngest children (those over six months old). The Israeli approval follows the US Food and Drug Administration granting in June emergency authorisation for Moderna's vaccine for children aged six months to five years, and Pfizer's shots for those between six months and four years old

Several other countries and territories like Argentina, Bahrain, Chile, China, Cuba, Hong Kong and Venezuela have cleared vaccines for toddlers buut none of these vaccines include mRNA vaccine.

A July 1 letter by Israeli health ministry director-general Nachman Ash, sent to AFP on Tuesday, noted two hearings held by a ministry panel, in which Pfizer and Moderna data on the "mild" side effects and efficacy rates were presented.

All members of the expert panel agreed the vaccines were safe, with most of the panel "recommending to vaccinate at-risk babies and children, and to enable the vaccination of children who are not at risk," Ash wrote.

In light of the recommendation, Ash decided "to enable the administering of mRNA Covid-19 vaccinations by Pfizer and Moderna to children aged six months to four or five years," he said. 

Over six million Israelis have received at least two Covid-19 vaccination shots, included in them 17 percent of the country's children aged 5-11, which up to the latest approval had been the youngest group eligible for the inoculation.

(With inputs from agencies)

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