TRENTO. From the EU, the green light for the anti-covid vaccine for children between 5 and 11 years, in Italy from 1 December the third dose also for all over 18s.
The European Medicines Agency Ema has recommended granting an extension of the indication for Pfizer-BioNtech’s covid vaccine to include use for children aged 5 to 11 years.
Specific pediatric doses are provided for this age group, with a reduced amount of active ingredient compared to those for older people.
The vaccine is already approved for use in adults and children aged 12 and over.
The scientific technical commission of the Italian Medicines Agency was convened next week, from 1 to 3 December, with on the agenda also the evaluation of the Ema ruling on anti-covid vaccination for the pediatric age group 5-11 years.
The government says pediatric doses of the vaccine may be available from early December.
Meanwhile, according to a circular from the ministry of health published today, starting from 1 December 2021 “the administration of a dose of mRna vaccine is recommended, as booster of a primary vaccination cycle, even to subjects aged 18 years or over, in the dosages authorized for the purpose, regardless of the vaccine used for the primary cycle and provided that a minimum interval of at least five months (150 days) has elapsed from the completion of the same “.
The circular recalls a joint note from the Ministry of Health, the Higher Council of Health, the Italian Medicines Agency and the Higher Institute of Health.
“It is also recommended – we read – of guarantee the priority of access to vaccination both to all those who have not yet started or completed the primary vaccination course, and to those still waiting for the additional dose (transplanted and severely immunocompromised patients) and those most vulnerable to severe forms of Covid-19 due to age or high frailty, as well as those with a high level of exposure to the infection who have not yet received the booster dose, and in any case to all subjects for which vaccination is compulsory “.