If approved by the Cabinet, the vaccine is expected to begin use in New Zealand no later than the end of January 2022.
New Zealand's medical regulator Medsafe has granted preliminary approval for the use of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11.
This is reported by the Ministry of Health, Interfax writes.
The regulator has approved two-time use of a special “child” vaccine at intervals of three weeks.
If approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, it is expected that the use of the vaccine in New Zealand will begin no later than the end of January 2022.
Thousands of people marched through the New Zealand capital, Wellington, to protest the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination as 90% of the adult population is already fully vaccinated in the country.
Under growing pressure, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has eased most of the restrictions ahead of the Christmas break. The international borders of the state remain closed to the outside world and will gradually open only from next year.
Earlier, the chief infectious disease specialist of the United States, Anthony Fauci, said that according to preliminary data, the Omicron COVID strain may be less more dangerous than Delta . He pointed out that in South Africa, where Omicron is gradually becoming the dominant strain, there is no significant increase in hospital admissions.
On November 26, the World Health Organization has qualified a new strain of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, dubbed Omicron, as a cause of concern. This variant was first discovered on November 9 in southern Africa.
