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COVID-19: Poland rolls out vaccine for youngest children

08.12.2022 19:30
Poland's health minister has announced that from December 12, COVID-19 vaccination will be available in the country for children between six months and four years of age.
Polands Health Minister Adam Niedzielski meets reporters in Warsaw on Thursday, December 8, 2022.
Poland's Health Minister Adam Niedzielski meets reporters in Warsaw on Thursday, December 8, 2022. PAP/Tomasz Gzell

Adam Niedzielski made the announcement at a news conference in Warsaw on Thursday, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

He said there were some 2 million children aged between six months and four years in Poland. 

The government is rolling out Pfizer’s Comirnaty vaccine for them, which will be administered in some 7,000 centres around the country after it was approved for use by the European Medicines Agency, reporters were told. 

The vaccine will be offered in three doses, the second three weeks after the first, the third eight weeks after the second, the PAP news agency reported. 

“Depending on the age and weight of the child, the injection will be made into the arm or into the thigh,” Niedzielski said.

‘Flu, not COVID-19, is Poland’s main epidemic problem’

The health minister also urged the public to vaccinate themselves against the flu, the PAP news agency reported.

He told reporters that from September 1 to November 30, there were over 160,000 COVID-19 cases and some 1.3 million flu infections in Poland.

“At the moment, flu cases are the main epidemic problem in the country,” Niedzielski said.

Last month, the health minister announced that mask wearing would remain compulsory in hospitals, clinics and pharmacies nationwide at least until the end of March to limit the spread of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

In September, Poland began administering second COVID-19 booster shots to people aged over 12.

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, dziennik.pl