Norway’s Ministry of Health: We will offer the corona vaccine to children between the ages of 5 and 11

Parents who want to vaccinate their children between the ages of 5 and 11 will now be able to do so, the Ministry of Health stated on Friday.

The Ministry emphasized that vaccination is voluntary and that it is not a general recommendation to vaccinate all children between 5 and 11 years of age.

“Children very rarely become seriously ill, and there is currently limited knowledge about rare side effects or side effects that can occur after a long time,” Minister of Health Ingvild Kjerkol (AP) stated.

“The individual benefits for most children are small, and the National Institute of Public Health (FHI) does not recommend that all children between 5 and 11 years should be vaccinated. However, they allow us to offer all parents to vaccinate their children. This will be particularly relevant for some groups,” she added.

Voluntary offer

Vaccines for the youngest children will be particularly relevant when it comes to those with chronic diseases. It can also be particularly relevant in families where children are in close contact with people with special needs for protection, as well as children who are to stay in countries with more infection or poorer health services, Kjerkol stated.

The FHI recommends that children between the ages of 12 and 15 get a second dose of vaccine, but the Ministry of Health emphasizes that the first dose provides the greatest benefit for this age group.

“The government follows the National Institute of Public Health’s recommendation when it comes to vaccinating children and young people. This is a voluntary offer, and parents must decide whether they want to vaccinate their children,” Kjerkol concluded.

Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews

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