Which countries are vaccinating children over 12 years old against Covid-19

The COVID-19 vaccination process has focused on protecting the elderly and the medically vulnerable before it is gradually passed on to the rest of the adult population.

In the latest EU figures, 75.6 per cent of the bloc’s adult population has been vaccinated and there are similar numbers for the rest of Europe.  

The goal has shifted to vaccinating as many children as possible to reduce the spread of infection and variants in the community.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 12-15 in May this year, the first COVID-19 vaccine to be given such approval in the EU.

The authorization was based on a study involving 2,259 children in the age group which showed that their immune response was comparable to those in the 16-25 age group.

A study of 3,732 children in this age group showed that none of those who received the vaccine became infected with COVID-19, writes Euronews .

United Kingdom

All 16- and 17-year-olds in England have been vaccinated since 23 August, while children aged 12 to 15 have been invited to get a vaccine in the coming weeks.

In Northern Ireland, 16 and 17 year olds have already been able to enter the vaccination queue for several weeks.

Italy's goal is to vaccinate most of its teens before they return to school in September. Currently, 49.86 percent have received a dose and 28.39 percent are fully vaccinated according to the Italian government’s August 24 vaccine report.

From August 16, children 12-18 years old can also get a vaccine.

In Germany, vaccines were initially recommended only for children with basic conditions, but following the spread of the Delta variant, it was decided on 16 August to offer a vaccine to all children over 12 years of age.

There have been concerns about myocarditis, the very rare inflammation of the heart muscle observed in connection with vaccination, especially in young vaccinated men.

However, STIKO said most of these people went to the hospital and were treated successfully.  

Ireland has had an extremely high vaccine intake in the adult population. Over 90 percent of adults over the age of 18 have received a single dose and 84 percent have been fully vaccinated.

The country is now starting to look at vaccinating children. The portal to register a child aged 12-15 for a vaccine opened on August 11 and recorded over 100,000 appointments and over 75,000 of them were within just the first 48 hours.

In the first vaccination weekend, 30,000 children received one dose.

Other countries that are vaccinating children are France, Poland, Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland.