# Germany’s vaccine panel says one COVID shot enough for children
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-05-24
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Germany's COVID-19 vaccine panel advises one shot for
Meta Description: Germany's STIKO panel advises a single dose due to existing immunity, contrasting with EU regulators. Minister supports move.
URL: https://financedigest.com/germanys-vaccine-panel-says-one-covid-shot-enough-for-childrenhtml

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By Patricia Weiss and Ludwig Burger

FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Germany’s vaccine advisory panel on Tuesday said one COVID-19 shot was enough for healthy five- to 11-year-olds because most of them had already undergone an infection, maintaining its cautious approach.

The view by the panel of 18 appointees, known as STIKO, contrasts with European Union regulators’ approval for a two-shot regimen in that age group. U.S. regulators last [week even authorized a third](https://www.financedigest.com/rate-rise-fears-prompt-third-week-of-global-equity-funds-outflows.html "Rate rise fears prompt third week of global equity funds outflows"), booster shot for the group.

For [children we have to assume that the rate of spreading of the infection](https://www.financedigest.com/english-study-finds-long-covid-affects-up-to-1-in-7-children-months-after-infection.html "English study finds long COVID affects up to 1 in 7 children months after infection") is the highest. That’s why it’s reasonable to administer only one vaccination,” STIKO panel member Martin Terhardt told a media briefing.

The expert panel’s previous view on the age group, published in December, was to limit vaccinations to those at risk of developing severe [COVID-19 or those living](https://www.financedigest.com/freedom-day-sydney-reopens-as-australia-looks-to-live-with-covid-19.html "‘Freedom Day’: Sydney reopens as Australia looks to live with COVID-19") with an at-risk person, drawing criticism at the time for not keeping up with the of pace of the coronavirus.

[German Health Minister](https://www.financedigest.com/german-minister-says-on-right-track-to-solving-co2-emitting-car-row.html "German minister says ‘on right track’ to solving CO2-emitting car row") Karl Lauterbach said STIKO’s move had his full backing.

I hope that the vaccine will be well [accepted but we must](https://www.financedigest.com/boes-pill-says-uk-must-accept-income-hit-from-high-inflation.html "BoE’s Pill says UK must accept income hit from high inflation") not exert pressure,” he added.

Children at [risk of developing severe COVID-19](https://www.financedigest.com/pfizer-says-antiviral-pill-cuts-risk-of-severe-covid-19-by-89.html "Pfizer says antiviral pill cuts risk of severe COVID-19 by 89%") should get three shots and those living with an at-risk person should get two, the STIKO experts added on Tuesday.

About 22% of five- to 11-year-old children in Germany have so far received at least one [COVID shot](https://www.financedigest.com/fda-advisers-back-the-same-covid-vaccine-for-initial-shots-boosters.html "FDA advisers back the same COVID vaccine for initial shots, boosters"). Within the age group of five to nine years, tracked by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), a [higher vaccination rate](https://www.financedigest.com/credit-suisse-offers-higher-deposit-rates-in-asia-to-woo-the-wealthy-sources.html "Credit Suisse offers higher deposit rates in Asia to woo the wealthy – sources") has been registered in Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Austria.

STIKO did not highlight any disadvantages of [giving more shots](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-gives-first-european-approval-to-valneva-covid-shot.html "Britain gives first European approval to Valneva COVID shot"). Instead it said the risk of heart inflammation from a vaccination appeared to be markedly lower for younger children than in youngsters above 12 years old or [young adults](https://www.financedigest.com/should-we-be-more-cautious-about-contactless-1-in-4-young-adults-with-contactless-cards-say-theyve-increased-their-spending.html "Should we be more cautious about contactless? 1 in 4 young adults with contactless cards say they’ve increased their spending").

An estimated 77.5% of five to 11-year-olds in [Germany had already acquired some immunity against the virus either through known and undetected infections or via vaccination](https://www.financedigest.com/first-foreign-covid-vaccines-head-to-china-from-germany.html "First foreign COVID vaccines head to China from Germany"), the panel said in a document posted online.

STIKO said the preferred product was the paediatric version of BioNTech and Pfizer’s Comirnaty but [Moderna’s shot](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-first-to-approve-omicron-covid-shot-with-moderna-nod.html "UK first to approve Omicron COVID shot with Moderna nod") was another option for those six years and older.

(Additional reporting by Riham Alkousaa in BerlinEditing by Madeline Chambers and Susan Fenton)


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