Home
Category
TV Live Menu

• ახალი ამბები ბიზნესში •

Loading data...

Germany's Top Vaccine Advisory Body Holds Off On Endorsing Vaccine for Teen

610bcc99e748c
Madona Gasanova
05.08.21 21:00
423
The head of Germany's Standing Committee on Vaccination (STIKO) has again defended the advisory group's decision to not endorse the vaccination of teens. "We cannot issue a blanket recommendation as long as we are lacking the necessary [medical] data," Thomas Mertens recently said.

So far, he said, there was insufficient data regarding potential health issues linked to vaccinating 12 to 17-year-olds. Mertens added that STIKO may eventually change its view and endorse teen vaccinations. But it would not do so, he said, because politicians are calling for this step, DW reports.

Mertens instead urges as many 18 to 59-year-olds as possible to get the jab. This, he said, would significantly reduce the severity of the fourth coronavirus infection wave. "Vaccinating children may garner more media attention, but will prove less effective from an epidemiological perspective."

This is not the first time the advisory body and German lawmakers have disagreed over how to handle the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier in the spring, STIKO said the Astra-Zeneca vaccine ought to be administered only to certain age groups. It similarly recommended administering the Johnson&Johnson vaccine to older cohorts only. German politicians, however, approved the vaccine for younger people as well.