Israel's Ministry of Health today approved the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination for 12-15 year olds. However, the ministry refrained from give a sweeping recommendation on the matter but rather said that the vaccination should be administered to those who are interested in it. The ministry did urge all those in high-risk groups, or who live with a high-risk individual, or who wish to travel abroad to have the vaccination.
The Ministry of Health took into account new data about a rare inflammation to the heart muscle in young people who received the Pfizer vaccination and weighed it against the risks of contracting Covid, which is fast fading out in Israel.
The experts decided that even though about one in 50,000 people who receive the Pfizer vaccinations developed the heart muscle inflammation, and slightly more among young people, mainly men, the risks from Covid-19 were still higher than the risks of the vaccination, because in most cases the inflammation was mild and passed quickly.
Discussions are now being held with the health funds on how to conduct the vaccine rollout with the 12-15 year olds. The vaccinations will likely be administered at health fund clinics rather than in schools or elsewhere.
Israel has already vaccinated 5.45 million people including 5.13 million with two vaccine jabs, most of Israel's adult population of 6.7 million. Only 111 people have tested positive for Covid-19 over the past week.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on June 2, 2021
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