BERLIN -- Germany will start offering coronavirus vaccinations for all children and teenagers aged 12 and older, top health officials said Monday.
German Health Minister Jens Spahn said after a meeting with the 16 German state health ministers that "we keep our promise: everybody who wants can get vaccinated in the summer -- we have enough vaccines for all age groups."
So far, however, the country's standing committee on vaccination, the Stiko, has been reluctant to give the go-ahead for all youngsters and only explicitly recommended the vaccination for the age group between 12 and 16 if they suffer from certain chronic illnesses. The committee says that not enough study results are yet available on possible long-term effects of the vaccine on the younger ones, but has also said it may update its recommendation as more data becomes available.
Therefore, the 16 state top health officials on Monday decided that healthy children and teenagers should now also be able get the jab at vaccination centers or their pediatricians' practices. As for all age groups, the vaccinations remain voluntary. The country's family minister said the decision "is an important step so that children and teenagers can be protected from a coronavirus infection in the best possible way."
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