Pfizer Vaccines Can Now Be Given to Children from 12 in South Africa

The South African Health Products Authority (SAHPRA), the countrys health regulator, has officially approved the Pfizer Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine for children and teenagers from 12 years of age.South Africa has a large youth population group, with around 28% being under the age of 15.According to Reuters, this decision from SAHPRA comes after a review of updated safety and efficacy information submitted earlier this year in March.The approval comes after Sinovac Biotech Ltd. confirmed a vaccine trial for infants, children, and adolescents would take place in South Africa as part of a wider global study for the safety and efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) inoculation in minors.In South Africa, the continents most developed country, the rollout of jabs has been slow, but steady. A ramping up of the effort has been taking place in recent months with the countrys government desperately trying to mitigate both a further loss of lives and a further collapse of the already-burdened economy.The country has vaccinated just over 12% of its adult population of more than 60-million total individuals putting South Africa at forefront of Africas vaccine race. SA has also been one of the countrys most affected by COVID-19 on the continent.Now, as the entire adult population has been opened to vaccines, the most pressing issue affecting the pace of South Africas inoculation campaign is vaccine hesitancy, according to some of the countrys health insurers.In other countries around the world, Pfizers jab is already being used to vaccinate teenagers, with the company planning safety tests on even younger children. In the US, the Delta variant has caused a noteworthy amount of infections amongst younger people, fueling the call to vaccinate the younger parts of the population.By Luis MonzonFollowLuis Monzonon TwitterFollowIT News Africaon Twitter
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