Will the corona vaccination be available for under-12s soon? At least Biontech would like to apply for approval soon. Initially, however, only a certain group of children could benefit.
Biontech wants to apply for approval of its corona vaccine for children between the ages of five and eleven in the coming weeks.
For this purpose, the results of a study would be presented to the authorities worldwide, “including here in Europe”, said the medical director and Biontech co-founder Özlem Türeci the “Spiegel”. Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn (CDU) told the editorial network Germany: “That is good news.” Approval would also make it possible to better protect younger children.
The President of the German Society for Child and Adolescent Medicine emphasized that particularly vulnerable patients benefit from a corona vaccination for boys and girls under the age of twelve. “Also in the age group of five to eleven year olds there are of course risk groups whose health and participation in social life is significantly improved if there is a vaccination offer,” said Jörg Dötsch of the German press agency. As examples, he cited children with a severe chronic illness or a weakened immune system.
He can imagine that the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) will first take care of the high-risk patients after the vaccine has been approved – if the processes are similar to those of 12 to 17-year-olds, said Dötsch. Stiko will have to weigh the risk that the vaccine may have unexpected side effects against the benefits of vaccination protection. For all other children, the commission will probably wait for more data before recommending the vaccine. A Stiko expert for child vaccinations initially did not want to comment on the Biontech plans when asked.
In Dötsch’s view, the dosage, unlike the age group from 12 to 17 years, plays a very important role in the five to eleven year olds. “On the one hand, this is due to the fact that the body weight of these children is very different from that of an adult,” explained Dötsch. On the other hand, it is about the immune system. “Medicine assumes that this is fully developed from around the age of twelve.” It is still developing in younger people. “These are two special features that have to be taken into account and which are why you have to proceed very carefully,” said Dötsch.
Production is already being prepared at Biontech. “The vaccine is the same, but less dosed, and less has to be filled,” said Türeci.
According to Biontech, the study results are available and only need to be processed for the approval authorities. “It looks good, everything is going according to plan,” said Biontech boss Ugur Şahin the “Spiegel”. By the end of the year, the study data on younger children aged six months and over are also expected.
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