Vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 starts on Friday

Vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years begins on Friday, December 17, throughout the Health Ministry’s Maternity and Child Welfare Centers in all provinces. Children may receive the jab after a telephone appointment, according to a statement from the Ministry of Health.

Appointments will be arranged only through the vaccination portal, starting on Tuesday, December 21, at 9 am.

These centers will operate on specific days and hours, while they are specially designed for children, it is added.

Considering that benefits from vaccination outweigh risks and taking into account the impact on children’s health vis-s-vis the COVID-19 disease, the Ministry says that it proceeds with the vaccination of children aged 5-11 years.

Jabs have a different dosage than those for people aged 12 years or older, as children receive 10 micrograms, compared to 30 micrograms. The Ministry cites a relevant study, estimating vaccines to be 90.7% effective in preventing COVID-19.

Side effects for children aged 5 to 11 years have been observed to be similar to that for people aged 12 years and over, they are usually mild or moderate and improve after a few days following the vaccination, the announcement concludes.