The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has authorised the use of the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccination for 12-15 year olds.
The move came after a special meeting of the EMA’s human medicine committee today.
The vaccine had already been approved for emergency use in the 12-15 age group in the United States, after the FDA confirmed on May 10 that trial data showed the benefits outweighed the risks.
It will be the first Covid vaccine available for adolescents.
The majority of doses administered in Ireland so far have been Pfizer/BioNTech.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly welcomed the news.
While the chair of the High Level Task Force on COVID19 Vaccination, Professor Brian MacCraith said: "Important news from the European Medicines Agency this afternoon. The EMA has approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine for adolescents (12-15 year olds). This was an outcome of an extraordinary meeting of EMA’s human medicine committee CHMP today."
The recommended use of the COVID-19 vaccine in children from 12 to 15 will be the same as it is in people aged 16 and above. It is administered as two injections in the muscles of the arm, at least 3 weeks apart
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