COVID digest: US gives vaccine approval for children 5 to 11

Washington, Nov 03: The United States has given final clearance for children aged 5 to 11 to start receiving the BioNtech-Pfizer COVID vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statement: "We know millions of parents are eager to get their children vaccinated and with this decision, we now have recommended that about 28 million children receive a COVID-19 vaccine."

Walensky noted in a meeting that pediatric hospitalization had surged in the US during the recent wave driven by the Delta variant of the coronavirus, and said that the risk from the disease is "too high and too devastating for our children."

The risk from COVID was far greater than other diseases for which children are generally vaccinated, she added.

With school closures having an impact on the mental health of children, Walensky hoped that pediatric vaccination would have the power to change the current scenario.

US President Joe Biden said the program for children in this age category will ramp up over the coming days and will be in full swing some time next week.

Source: DW