The Ministry of Public Health has announced that the use of Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine on minors above aged 3 and over has been approved by a Public Health Ministry sub-committee on immunity promotion.

Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, director-general of the Department of Disease Control (DDC), revealed that the subcommittee agreed to allow minors aged 3 to 17 to get Sinovac jab after reviewing studies indicating that the vaccine is efficient and safe for children and adolescents.

While approval has already been made by the subcommittee, the director-general said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must still certify that the vaccine is safe for the specified age range. The vaccine can immediately be provided to children and youths once approved by the FDA.

Dr Opas added that the subcommittee also approved a plan to administer an AstraZeneca booster to those who had already received two AstraZeneca injections. The approval was made after research from the United Kingdom showed that three AstraZeneca shots provide improved immunity against COVID-19.

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul applauded the decision, noting that parents now have more vaccine options for their children. He advised the general public to get vaccinated as soon as possible, adding that officials had obtained various types of COVID vaccines to accommodate different groups and that immunity gained through vaccinations is safer than the kind gained from surviving an infection.

Source: NNT