Switzerland gives green light for children’s Covid jabs

The Swiss medicines agency Swissmedic on Friday approved the vaccination of children aged between five and 11 with Pfizer-Biontech’s Comirnaty vaccine.

“Clinical trial results show that the vaccine is safe and effective in this age group,” it said in a statement.

The Comirnaty vaccine is administered in two doses of 10 microgrammes three weeks apart.

An ongoing clinical trial of more than 1,500 people “shows that the Covid-19 vaccine offers almost complete protection against serious illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus in 5 to 11-year-olds”, it said.

“Side effects tended to occur less frequently than in adolescents or adults. They included pain at the injection site and tiredness, or less frequently headache, aching limbs or fever,” the agency added.

In France, vaccination has only been approved for young children at risk of developing serious illness but the government has said it is considering extending it to all children on a voluntary basis.