All adolescents aged 16 to 18 could be entitled to vaccines against Covid-19 from June 2021. – Michel Euler / AP / SIPA
The first minors vaccinated in June. For Alain Fisher, professor of immunology appointed by Jean Castex to coordinate France’s vaccine strategy against the Covid-19 pandemic, the first adolescents could be entitled to vaccines next month. “16-18 people will be vaccinated fairly quickly (…), in June it will be feasible”, estimated the “mister vaccine” of the government on BFMTV.
“May 31 is the 18 [tous les majeurs pourront se faire vacciner sans condition à partir de cette date], but very soon after, I think the 16-18 will also be included, ”he added.
Only Pfizer / BioNTech authorized
For now, the only minors who can be vaccinated against Covid in France are those aged 16 to 18 with certain serious diseases (around 10,000 to 20,000 people according to the authorities) or close to immunocompromised people.
Of the four vaccines available in the European Union, only the one from Pfizer / BioNTech is authorized at this stage for 16-18 year olds. Pfizer-BioNTech has also applied for authorization of its vaccine for 12-16 year olds in Europe, after having obtained it in North America.
12-16 year olds vaccinated at the start of the school year?
Asked about 12-16 year olds, Alain Fischer judged that it would not be “perhaps unreasonable to consider” vaccinating them “at the start of the school year”, after the summer holidays. “Our board is thinking about it,” he said. For the moment it is at the stage of reflection, but it seems to me an interesting reflection ”.
For 12-16 year olds, “we are starting to have data, there have been clinical trials (…) with the Pfizer vaccine which show excellent efficacy and very good safety. The United States and Canada are the first two in the world to begin these days’ vaccination of this age group.
No date for children under 12
Finally, for those under 12, it is “not on the agenda, because we have no data of any kind in terms of safety and efficacy. [des vaccins]. There are clinical trials that are starting, but if ever there were to be vaccination of children, it is probably not before the beginning of the year 2022. “
According to him, the interest of vaccinating children and adolescents is twofold: both for them and the community. “Even if children are much less affected by Covid, with very few serious forms, there is still a disease specific to children. [proche de la maladie de Kawasaki], an inflammation triggered by the virus, which nevertheless affected 500 children in one year in France, ”he recalled.
Adults before children
“In addition, children contribute to the circulation of the virus, so vaccinating children, as part of group immunity, would be a favorable factor,” he said. But for that, all adults must be vaccinated, we are not going to vaccinate children instead of adults, that would make no sense. “
The vaccination of under 18s against Covid-19 will be done “perhaps”, but “not immediately”, for his part, declared Monday the Minister of Health Olivier Véran on BFMTV.