The Swiss health authority announced Monday that it had approved the Covid-19 vaccine from the American laboratory Moderna for 12-17 year olds, after having already given the green light to that of Pfizer-BioNTech for adolescents in early June.

Swissmedic said in a press release that it had given its consent on the basis of an ongoing study carried out on 3,732 children of this age group.

This showed an immune reaction comparable to that obtained in young adults aged 18 to 25 years with the same dosage.

The request to extend it to adolescents was filed by the American laboratory on June 11, a few days after the authorization by the Swiss health agency to use the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for 12-15 year olds.

đź“ŁSwissmedic approves extension of indication for Moderna's Spikevax vaccine to people aged 12 to 17 https://t.co/pMQEAD4NQm

- Swissmedic (@Swissmedic_) August 9, 2021

Vaccination slows, Delta variant progresses

As with adults over 18 years old, Moderna should be given twice, four weeks apart.

In Switzerland, 54.91% of the population received at least one dose, 49.16% of the population being fully vaccinated.

The three vaccines authorized in the Alpine country are those of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna as well as Johnson & Johnson, approved for adults.

The pace of vaccinations has slowed in recent weeks as the Delta variant is progressing rapidly, once again exceeding 1,000 additional cases per day in early August for the first time since the end of May.

In Switzerland, the issue of vaccination of adolescents also gives rise to debates around parental authorization.

On Saturday, the regional newspaper

Liberté

highlighted a recent court ruling in the canton of Friborg which rejected an appeal from parents opposing the vaccination of minors, cantonal judges estimating that a child between 12 and 15 years old , as long as he is capable of discernment, can consent to it alone.

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