(Reuters) – The United States is set to roll out Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 5 to 11 this week and the shots could be administered as soon as Wednesday.
A panel of outside experts is due to meet on Tuesday to vote on how broadly the shot should be recommended in the age group by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The vaccine was authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the age group on Friday.
But with many parts of the world still awaiting doses for more vulnerable people, the World Health Organisation has urged countries and companies that control the global supply of the vaccines to prioritize supply to COVAX.
The following is a list of some countries that have approved or are considering vaccinating children:
EU COUNTRIES
* On Oct. 18, the EU’s medicines regulator said it had started evaluating the use of Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine in 5 to 11-year-old children.
* In June, Denmark said it would offer COVID-19 shots to children aged 12-15 to boost its overall immunity against the virus.
* France has started vaccinating those from 12 years upwards, provided they have parental consent.
* Germany in August agreed to make vaccination available to all children aged 12-17.
* Austria has started vaccinating children aged 12-15.
* Estonia could start vaccinating teenagers by the autumn, public broadcaster ERR reported, citing the head of the government’s COVID-19 council.
* Hungary started vaccinating 16 to 18-year-olds in mid-May, according to Xinhua news agency.
* Italy on May 31 approved extending the use of Pfizer’s vaccine to 12-15 year olds. On July 28, it also endorsed the use of Moderna’s vaccine for 12-17 aged children.
* Lithuania’s prime minister said the country could start vaccinating children from age 12 in June, news site Delfi reported.
* Spain begun vaccinating children between 12 and 17 years old around two weeks before the academic year in September, the health minister said.
* Swedish PM says children aged 12-15 will be offered COVID vaccine later this autumn.
* Greece in July said children aged 12-15 could be vaccinated against COVID-19 with Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna shots.
* Finland’s capital Helsinki in June said it will begin giving COVID-19 vaccines to children aged 12 to 15 who are at risk of contracting a severe coronavirus infection.
* On July 27, Ireland lowered the age for COVID-19 vaccination to 12 years.
* Poland started offering COVID-19 vaccines to children of ages 12-15.
EUROPE (NON-EU)
* On Oct. 19, UK said it will open up COVID vaccine booking service to those aged 12-15.
* Switzerland approved on June 4 vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds with Pfizer’s shot, while Moderna’s shot was approved in August for the age group.
* In September, Norway started to offer one dose of Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to children aged 12 to 15
MIDDLE EAST
* In August, Israel began offering a COVID-19 booster to children as young as 12.
* The United Arab Emirates said in August rolled out China’s Sinopharm vaccine to children aged 3-17. On Nov.1, UAE approved Pfizer-BioNtech shot for children aged 5-11 for emergency use.
* Bahrain approved Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 3-11 from Oct. 27, while on Nov. 2, the Gulf state approved the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use for children aged between 5 and 11 years.
ASIA-PACIFIC
* Indonesia on Nov. 1 authorised China’s Sinovac vaccine for children aged 6 and above.
* Malaysia on Oct. 29 said it would procure the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, following a U.S. expert panel’s recommendation
* Vietnam will begin inoculating children aged 16 and 17 with parental consent from next month using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
* An advisory committee to the Indian regulator recommended emergency use of Bharat Biotech’s COVID-19 shot in the 2 to 18 age-group. The regulator’s nod is awaited.
* New Zealand’s medicines regulator in June provisionally approved use of Pfizer’s vaccine for 12-15 year olds.
* Australia said on Sept. 12 it will expand its COVID-19 vaccination drive to include around one million children aged 12-15.
* China on June 5 approved emergency use of Sinovac’s vaccine for those between three and 17.
* Hong Kong said on June 3 it would open its vaccine scheme to children over the age of 12.
* Singapore opened up its vaccination programme to adolescents aged 12-18 from June 1.
* Japan on May 28 approved the use of Pfizer’s vaccine for those aged 12 and above.
* The Philippines on May 26 decided to allow the Pfizer-BioNTech’s vaccine for emergency use in children aged 12-15.
* Jordan in July begun vaccinating children aged 12 years and older against COVID-19.
AMERICAS
* The COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer-BioNTech will be the only one used in Mexico for at-risk children aged 12-17.
* Brazil on June 11 approved use of Pfizer’s vaccine for children over 12.
* On Sept. 6, Chile approved the COVID-19 vaccine produced by China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd for use in children over 6 years of age.
* U.S. FDA has authorized the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky must make her recommendations before it can be rolled out.
* Canada in early May approved use of Pfizer’s vaccine for use in children aged 12-15 but the decision for children between 5 an 11 years is not likely to come before mid- to end-November.
* Cuba’s vaccination campaign includes children as young as two.
* On Sept. 13, El Salvador cleared the use of COVID-19 vaccine in 6 to 11-year-old children. (https://bit.ly/30RiKe7)
* Argentina is vaccinating children as young as three with Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine. (https://bit.ly/3miSiCD)
* Ecuador’s vaccination includes kids as young as six with the China’s Sinovac vaccine
* Columbia is offering Pfizer, AstraZenenca, Moderna, Sinopharm and J&J’s COVID-19 vaccines for children 12 years and above
* Costa Rica is vaccinating 12 years and above
AFRICA
* South Africa will start vaccinating children between the ages of 12 and 17 next week using the Pfizer vaccine
Sources: Press releases, government notices and Reuters reporting
(Compiled by Sarah Morland, Olivier Cherfan, Juliette Portala, Caleb Davis and Laura Marchioro in Gdansk; Dania Nadeem and Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; Editing by Ankur Banerjee, Anil D’Silva and Shinjini Ganguli)
