Estonia starts vaccinating children against coronavirus

A child receiving a vaccination against coronavirus on December 17, 2021.
A child receiving a vaccination against coronavirus on December 17, 2021. Source: Ken Mürk/ERR

Coronavirus vaccination for children aged 5-11 was rolled out in Estonia on Friday.

The youngsters were given the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and the doses were slightly smaller than for adults, ETV's current affairs show "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported on Friday.

At the moment, family doctors will carry out the vaccines but in future they may move to hospitals.

Acting Director General of the Health Board Mari-Anne Härma said family doctors are pursuing a personal approach. "It's important right now to create a safe and trusting environment so parents can bring their children," she said.

Härma said children tend to suffer fewer side effects from the vaccine than adults.

"Currently, the estimate [for side effects] is under 5 percent of cases [...] but in general it is a little easier on children than adults. The effects of the vaccine can already be seen to be very effective and very good," she said.

Family doctor Karmen Joller told AK: "There have been no serious side effects so far and about 5 million children between the ages of 5 and 11 in the world have been vaccinated so far."

Joller said her own children have been vaccinated.

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Editor: Helen Wright

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