New Zealand’s medical regulator has given provisional approval for five to 11-year-olds to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination.
Those in the age group will not be able to be vaccinated against Covid yet - Ministry of Health officials will now advise Government Ministers, who deliver the final sign off.
Once approved, those aged under 12 would receive the paediatric version of the Covid vaccine, which immunologist of University of Otago Dr Dianne Sika-Paotonu described as "approximately one third of the adult dose".
Kids would get two doses, at least 21 days apart.
If given final approval kids will get two doses of the Pfizer paediatric vaccine at least 21 days apart. (Source: 1News)
Ministry of Health’s immunisation director Astrid Koornneef said preparation was already underway for the potential rollout of the doses.
"If Cabinet agrees to use the vaccine in New Zealand, we want to have systems in place to roll out the vaccine safely and efficiently, at the earliest opportunity," she said.
"This means completing the necessary training and working with the community to roll out the vaccine, including through whānau-based approaches."
Earlier this month, it was anticipated children 5-11 would be eligible for the vaccination from late January.
Of the Delta outbreak, 2397 (24 per cent) of the 9963 cases were aged under 12. Thirty-seven of those children were hospitalised.
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