Germany To Vaccinate Children Over 12 From June 7

Germany will start offering coronavirus vaccine to children over the age of 12 from June 7, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday. But the chancellor stressed that the vaccination would not be compulsory. She added that it would also have no bearing on whether children can attend a school or go on holiday.

Much before Germany, The United States and Canada have already started vaccinating over-12s.

Merkel in a statement said, “Children and young people aged 12 and over will have the chance to book a vaccine appointment from June 7. Those willing will be offered at least their first of two shots by the end of August. The main message to parents is: there will be no compulsory vaccinations. Schools would not require pupils to be vaccinated. Also it would be totally wrong to think you can only go on holiday with a vaccinated child.”

After her talks with regional heads, the chancellor added, “Inoculating children is seen as a key step towards achieving herd immunity in the fight against the pandemic.”

The European Medicines Agency is expected to approve the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds on Friday. It is already authorized in the EU for those over 16.

After a slow start, Germany has kicked off the vaccination program in high gear. Almost 40 percent of adults have now had their first jab, and 15 percent are fully vaccinated. The high-speed vaccination program along with rapid testing and shutdowns has allowed Germany to relax restrictions.

But the Chancellor has warned people not to relax and continue social distancing, sporting mask,s and airing out rooms as the Pandemic is not over yet.

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