Royal Academy to seek approval for Sinopharm use in children

The move follows foreign studies on the use of Covid-19 vaccines in children aged 3 months to 12 years old. The academy has been supplying Sinopharm, an alternative vaccine, to members of the public and local authorities for distribution.

Dr Nithi Mahanon, secretary-general of the academy, said vaccination for children was just as important as for other groups, since unvaccinated people posed an infection risk for everyone. Therefore, jabs should be given as quickly and widely as possible.

Data in foreign countries showed that many people who were infected after being vaccinated caught the virus from those who had not had the jab, he added. Children who are infected may have few or no symptoms but can still pass the virus to others, so they must be vaccinated, said the academy chief.

He revealed that several studies are being conducted on the effect of Covid-19 vaccines on three-month-old children. The need to have children vaccinated is urgent since the longer Covid-19 circulates, the more chance there is of new variants emerging, said Nithi.

“Follow-up studies in children are complex and difficult. Currently, research [in foreign countries] is gradually reducing the target age from 12 years old, and it is down to 3 months old in some places," he said.