Merkel and German state heads discuss extending vaccines to children

Chancellor Angela Merkel and the heads of the 16 German states met on Thursday to discuss future coronavirus vaccine strategies, including whether to offer jabs to children.

German Health Minister, Jens Spahn, supports the idea of offering vaccines to children above age 12 as soon as possible.

The European Medicines Agency must first agree to under 16s receiving the BioNtech/Pfizer jab, with a decision expected on Friday.

Berlin Mayor, Michael Mueller, whose city is a German state, called for a “realistic timetable for a possible vaccine offer to children and young people.”

But many in Germany believe vaccinating children with jabs whose long-term effects were not yet clear is a step too far when the young are generally least affected by COVID-19.

There are also worries about vaccine supply generally.

Brandenburg state premier, Dietmar Woidke, told media group RND before the meeting: “Brandenburg is receiving percentage-wise fewer vaccines than other states.”

Hamburg Mayor, Peter Tschentscher, whose city is also a state, told Spiegel magazine: “Vaccine distribution in Germany is unfair.” (dpa/NAN)