Sinovac Good To Go For Those Aged 12-17: Experts

Medical experts advising the government on its Covid vaccination programme have recommended allowing adolescents between 12 and 17 to get Sinovac shots before the jabs are given to younger children.

The chairman of the Scientific Committee on Vaccine Preventable Diseases, Professor Lau Yu-lung, said on Friday that experts agree that Sinovac is safe and effective in young people, as more than 130 million shots have already been given to children on the mainland and in other countries.

"We're of the opinion that we should do this in stages like in many other countries as well as in mainland China as well, that is to start off with the secondary school students, and then the primary school students and then the nursery school students," he said.

"That is a very natural progression and also makes a lot of sense."

Lau said teenagers should be advised to get their second shot 28 days after the first.

The Centre for Health Protection said officials would announce updated inoculation arrangements for children as quickly as possible.

Those over 12 can already get the BioNTech jab.