Romania and Italy are starting to vaccinate adolescents against the coronavirus, becoming the first European Union (EU) countries to do so after the European Commission approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 12 and over.
The EU approved the use of this vaccine for adolescents on May 31, seven days after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved it for this age group.
Each of the 27 EU member states can now decide whether to extend their vaccination campaigns to adolescents.
Romanian Prime Minister Florin Citu said children aged 12 and over could start vaccination against Covid-19 from June 1, while the Italian government said it would extend the vaccination to adolescents.
Other countries in Europe are expected to follow suit, though some will likely continue to prioritize vaccinating adults and only children with pre-existing health conditions that make them vulnerable to the coronavirus at first.
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