Czechia orders 700K Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 for kids 5-11

The Czechia has pre-ordered covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer / BioNTech for 700,000 children aged five to 11. When asked by ČTK, Minister of Health Adam Vojtěch (for YES) said this today. He added that she would not be vaccinated until she had been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). Slovakia did not wait for approval, children at this age can be vaccinated there from 9 September.

“Until the vaccine is approved within the European Medicines Agency, this is of course not possible (in the Czech Republic),” the minister said. There are about 809,000 children of this age in the Czech Republic, and vaccines are enough for 80 percent of them, according to the Minister.

European countries have given preliminary demand for a vaccine for children about a month ago. “It will be a little different, different composition, different strength of the vaccine,” he said. After the approval of the EMA, the Czech authorities no longer have to authorize the vaccine independently, they can start vaccinating with it as soon as it is available in the pediatrician’s surgeries.

The manufacturer said this week that, according to his clinical studies, the children tolerated the vaccine well and elicited a strong immune response. It therefore plans to apply as soon as possible to regulators in the US, EU and other countries for permission to use the vaccine in this age group.

As in Slovakia, health workers also vaccinate children in Israel without the approval of the relevant authorities. However, it is still only available for children who are at risk of serious complications in the event of coronavirus infection. This was admitted by Minister Vojtěch two weeks ago. The doctor may individually decide to give the child the vaccine without approval, the so-called off-label, similar to other drugs not yet approved.