Hong Kong News
Nonpartisan, Noncommercial, unconstrained.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
Real, Diverse, Unbiased.
Scientific committees give green light to vaccinating children aged between 5 and 11
Two scientific committees advising the government said they have no objection to allowing children aged between 5 and 11 to get Covid-19 vaccines.
The children can either get Sinovac, or one third of a dose of the adult BioNTech jab.
The two committees are the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases (JSC) under the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health, and the Chief Executive's expert advisory panel (EAP).
The interval between two doses of Sinovac jabs for children should be 28 days, while the two fractional doses of BioNTech jabs should be given to children at least 12 weeks apart, experts said.
Both vaccines should be rolled out simultaneously to provide real choice.
Experts also added that while both vaccines are expected to lower the risk of severe disease and death, the BioNTech jab may provide additional protection against Omicron infection.
Meanwhile, the two committees have highlighted the urgency of inoculating adults aged 60 or above, particularly those in residential elderly care homes. They should take priority over the inoculation of children aged 5 to 11.
The two committees are the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases and the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases (JSC) under the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health, and the Chief Executive's expert advisory panel (EAP).
The interval between two doses of Sinovac jabs for children should be 28 days, while the two fractional doses of BioNTech jabs should be given to children at least 12 weeks apart, experts said.
Both vaccines should be rolled out simultaneously to provide real choice.
Experts also added that while both vaccines are expected to lower the risk of severe disease and death, the BioNTech jab may provide additional protection against Omicron infection.
Meanwhile, the two committees have highlighted the urgency of inoculating adults aged 60 or above, particularly those in residential elderly care homes. They should take priority over the inoculation of children aged 5 to 11.
