Germany's vaccine panel says one COVID shot enough for children
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[May 24, 2022]
By Patricia Weiss and Ludwig Burger
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's vaccine
advisory panel on Tuesday said one COVID-19 shot was enough for healthy
five to 11 year-olds because most of them had already undergone an
infection, be it known of undetected.
The view by the panel of 18 appointees known as STIKO contrasts with
approval by European Union regulators for a two-shot regimen in that age
group. U.S. regulators last week even authorized a third, or booster
shot for the group.
"For children we have to assume that the rate of spreading of the
infection is the highest. That's why it's reasonable to administer only
one vaccination," STIKO panel member Martin Terhardt told a media
briefing.
The expert panel's previous view on the age group, published in
December, was to limit vaccinations to those at risk of developing
severe COVID-19 or those living with an at-risk person, drawing
criticism at the time for not keeping up with the of pace of the
coronavirus.
Children at risk of developing severe COVID-19 should get three shots
and those living with an at-risk person should get two, the expert group
added on Tuesday.
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![](../images/052422PIX/health5.jpg)
Eleven-year-old Chiara receives a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech
vaccine for children against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
during a vaccination event for children at the Lanxess Arena in
Cologne, Germany, December 18, 2021. REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2022/May/24/images/ads/current/dare_sda_PROM_2022.png) It did not highlight any
disadvantages of giving more shots. Instead it said the risk of
heart inflammation from a vaccination appeared to be markedly lower
for younger children than in youngsters above 12 years or young
adults.
An estimated 77.5% of five to 11 year olds in
Germany had already had acquired some immunity against the virus
either through known and undetected infections or via vaccination,
the panel said in a document posted online.
STIKO said the preferred product was the paediatric version of
BioNTech and Pfizer's Comirnaty but Moderna's shot was another
option for those six years and older.
(Editing by Madeline Chambers)
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