Here’s how many children have received the Pfizer jab so far

The Covid-19 vaccination rollout for children under 18 is gaining momentum since it launched on Wednesday.

More than 13,000 children have received a single dose of the Pfizer vaccine and 6,900 had registered to get vaccinated via the electronic vaccination data system (EVDS) system on Thursday, health department spokesperson Foster Mohale told TimesLIVE on Friday morning. 

On the first day of the vaccinations, the department recorded 6,843 children aged between 12 and 17 who were vaccinated. 

Health minister Joe Phaahla told the media last Friday the decision to vaccinate adolescents was taken after deliberations between the vaccine ministerial advisory committee (VMAC) supported by health MECs and cabinet.

Last month the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra), approved emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine in children aged 12 to 17 years.

Sahpra told TimesLIVE children will experience the same side-effects as adults, adding studies had shown rare cases of heart inflammation in young boys after receiving the second dose. 

Phaahla said the VMAC advised children to receive only a single dose of the vaccine to allow for close monitoring of side-effects.

“The VMAC advised that for now, we only give one dose while assessing information which suggests that in a few cases there have been short-lived cases of transient myocarditis after two doses. The timing of the second dose will be informed by further information on this rarely observed side-effect which has no permanent risk,” said the minister.