Health Minister Joe Phaahla has announced that children between the ages of 12 and 17 will be able to access the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine from next week. But for now they will only get a single dose.
Children between the ages of 12 and 17 will be able to get one shot of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine from next week, the Department of Health announced on Friday.
Minister Dr Joe Phaahla said registrations for children on the electronic vaccination data system will open on Wednesday, 20 October and they will be able to get the vaccine at any of the current vaccination sites.
He said that given the risk, even though minimal, of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) that were seen in a small number of children who received a second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, the department will wait for more research to be done before giving a second shot to this age group.
Phaahla said where myocarditis was identified as a side-effect of the vaccine, the cases were short-lived, only occurred after the second dose and was slight.
“We will space the second dose after we have received more information,” he said.
“I want to assure parents…