The French government announced on Wednesday that people aged between 12 and 18 will be able to receive a coronavirus vaccine from 15 June.
In a video on Twitter, France's President Emmanuel Macron said that the decision to launch the vaccination of teenagers had been taken during the defence council meeting held on Wednesday morning.
"By June 15, we will pass the milestone of having 30 million people vaccinated. That's why we decided this morning to start vaccinating the youngest from June 15," he said.
À partir du 15 juin, les 12-18 ans pourront se faire vacciner. pic.twitter.com/QJTaqKyY9b
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 2, 2021
During his statement, he added that 50% of French adults have received a first dose of the vaccine, but called on the French to remain "extremely cautious and vigilant," saying that the virus is circulating in certain parts of the country.
In total, since the beginning of the vaccination campaign in France, 26.1 million people have received at least one injection of vaccine (39.1% of the total population), of which 11.2 million people have received two doses (16.7% of the total population).
Germany had previously announced it would vaccinate children and young people from the age of 12 against the coronavirus as of 7 June under the condition that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine received the green light from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for this age group.
On Friday, the EMA stated that it was also safe for children from 12 to 15 years old, making it the first vaccine to be approved for this age group.
On Monday, the European Commission also gave the official green light for Pfizer/BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine to be administered to children aged 12 and over.
In Belgium, the Superior Health Council recommended that all young people between the ages of 16 and 17 should be vaccinated against the coronavirus on 20 May, emphasising that within this age group, risk patients will be vaccinated quicker, as with adult risk patients.
The various health ministers of Belgium met on Wednesday during an Interministerial Health Conference (CIM) and were expected to discuss the vaccination of 16-17-year-olds, however, following the meeting, it was announced the Health Ministers did not come to a decision and that a new meeting will be held on Saturday.
Ahead of the meeting, Walloon Minister-President Elio Di Rupo said that this discussion should go further and that Belgium should extend plans to vaccinate 16-17-year-olds and offer the vaccine to children as young as 12.
During the meeting, Francophone Minister for Youth Valérie Glatigny argued PCR tests should be made free for young people who want to travel and enjoy other freedoms but have not yet been vaccinated.
"It is essential to allow young people to enjoy more freedom this summer," she told La Libre.
