France Permits COVID-19 Vaccination To Teens Aged 16-17 With Serious Diseases

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 06th May, 2021) Starting Thursday, French citizens aged 16-17 who suffer from serious diseases that can contribute to the development of a severe form of the coronavirus will be able to be inoculated with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, according to the French Health Ministry.

In late April, President Emmanuel Macron announced that all French over 18 diagnosed with obesity would be able to receive a shot of a COVID-19 vaccine starting May 1. People over 18 overall will be eligible for inoculation starting June 15.

"People aged 16 and 17 suffering from a condition with very high risk of a severe form of COVID-19 are allowed, as of this day, to be vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in vaccination centers," the ministry said in a statement.

According to the Le Parisien newspaper, the new rules apply to some 800,000 teenagers diagnosed with cancer, cystic fibrosis or rare deceases.

France began its immunization campaign in late December 2020 with inoculation of old people and medical workers. To date, a total of 16,763,053 first doses were administered in the country, and 6,148,514 people have been inoculated twice.