Soon after clearance from the United States and Canada, the European Commission authorized Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for use in children as young as 12, paving the way for a broader rollout in the EU.
China became the first country, on June 5, to approve Covid-19 vaccination for children as young as three years old.
To avoid another wave of Covid-19, many countries around the world are considering, or have started, vaccinating children as young as 12.
However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) is urging rich countries to prioritise giving shots to the COVAX scheme, raising concerns for the older and vulnerable people who are not getting the jab. The COVAX scheme is co-led by CEPI, Gavi and WHO, with key delivery partner UNICEF to guarantee fair and equitable access of vaccines to every country.
Here’s a list of countries which have approved vaccinating children against Covid-19:
EU COUNTRIES
> France: The government on June 2 said it will start vaccinating teenagers from age 12 with Pfizer's vaccine from June 15, as it looks to avoid schools closures in September.
> Germany: Germany plans to offer the first shot to children aged 12-16 from June 7.
> Poland: It will offer shots to those aged 12-15 from June 7.
> Lithuania: The prime minister of Lithuania said the country could start vaccinating children from age 12 in June, news site Delfi reported.
> Italy: On May 31, Italy approved extending the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to 12- to 15-year-olds.
> Estonia: It could start vaccinating teenagers by autumn, public broadcaster ERR reported, citing the head of the government's COVID-19 council.
> Austria: According to news site Vindobona, Austria aims to have over 340,000 children aged 12-15 vaccinated by the end of August.
> Hungary: It started vaccinating 16-18-year-olds in mid-May, according to Xinhua news agency.
> Romania: Children from age 12 started receiving Covid-19 shots from June 2, according to Associated Press Television News.
EUROPE (NON-EU)
> Norway: The country may consider the Pfizer vaccine for children who have a high risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19, VG newspaper reported.
> Switzerland: On Friday, the country approved vaccinating 12 to 15-year-old children with the COVID-19 shot from Pfizer (PFE.N) and BioNTEch. The vaccination drive will start as early as July.
> San Marino: On June 1, vaccinations for children aged 12-15 started, reported San Marino RTV, citing its Institute for Social Security.
MIDDLE EAST
> Israel: It has given the green light to vaccinate 12- to 15-year-olds and is set to begin next week, its pandemic-response coordinator said.
> Dubai: The authorities told on June 1 that Dubai had started offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to 12 to 15-year-olds after the United Arab Emirates approved the shot for emergency use for the same age group in mid-May.
ASIA-PACIFIC
> Singapore: The nation opened up its vaccination programme to adolescents aged 12-18 from June 1.
> Japan: On May 28, Japan approved the use of Pfizer's vaccine for those aged 12 and above.
> Philippines: On May 26, the country decided to allow the Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine for emergency use in children aged 12-15.
> Hong Kong: It will open its COVID-19 vaccine scheme to children over the age of 12, the government said.
> China: It authorized the emergency use of Sinovac Biotech Ltd.’s coronavirus vaccine for children on Friday. China became the first major country to grant approval for those as young as three, reported Bloomberg.
AMERICAS
> Chile: On May 31, Chile approved the use of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine for 12-16-year-olds.
> United States: It began to inoculate young adolescents in mid-May after its Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved Pfizer's shot for those aged 12-15.
> Canada: In early May, Canada approved the use of Pfizer's vaccine for use in children aged 12-15.
(Inputs from Reuters)