In Ireland, 12 to 15 year olds will soon be able to receive a vaccination against the coronavirus.
The national vaccination commission submitted this proposal to the government of the EU state.
Foreign Minister Simon Coveney told RTÉ on Tuesday that the benefits of the vaccination could now be extended to the younger age group.
It is expected that around 250,000 young people will be vaccinated as early as next week.
They are supposed to receive an mRNA vaccine, i.e. the product from Moderna or Pfizer / Biontech. For full vaccination protection, two doses at least four weeks apart are necessary. This means that most young people could already be protected before starting school after the summer vacation, it said. However, logistical changes to the online registration and in the vaccination centers are still necessary because parents have to agree to the injection.
In Ireland, around half of the 4.9 million population has received two doses of the vaccine. In contrast to those who have not been vaccinated, they can also be used in pubs and restaurants in closed rooms. In neighboring Great Britain, the vaccine from Biontech / Pfizer is approved for 12 to 15 year olds. However, because there is disagreement among scientists about the need to vaccinate young people, this age group has not yet been invited to the vaccination.