Argentina extends vaccination to minors aged between 12 and 17 with risk factors

The Health Ministry announced Friday that its national Covid-19 vaccination programme is being extended to include minors aged 12 to 17 with existing risk factors. 

The announcement came after authorities in the European Union (EU) said that they would approve the Moderna vaccine for that age group, following pressure from parents groups.

Argentina took delivery of 3.5 million doses of the US-made vaccine last week thanks to a donation from the Joe Biden administration and, following the decision by the European Medicines Agency, health officials intend to follow suit and roll out the inoculation programme to youngsters in the following weeks. 

According to government projections, Argentina has around 4.25 million adolescents aged between 12 and 17.

Experts believe around 20 to 25 percent of that group have existing risk factors and subsequently some 900,000 individuals will come forward to receive a shot, meaning that 1.8 million doses of the Moderna vaccine donation will be used on teenagers.

– TIMES/PERFIL