Following the meeting of the strategic advisory group on immunization (SAGE), experts said that children and adolescents are least susceptible to severe coronavirus, so they should not be in a hurry to vaccinate them. “The burden of severe diseases in these age groups is low, and high vaccination coverage among the groups most at risk has not yet been achieved in all countries,” the WHO said.
On December 20, the Russian Ministry of Health included the COVID-19 vaccination in the national calendar of preventive vaccinations. The priority of the first level for mandatory vaccination against coronavirus in the department included Russians over 60 years old, medical workers, social service and education employees, people with chronic diseases and residents of cities with millions.
The head of the National Medical Research Center (NMIC) for Children’s Health of the Ministry of Health of Russia Andrey Fisenko said that vaccination of adolescents against coronavirus will be exclusively voluntary. He clarified that it will be done on the written application of the parents.