Costa Rica issues COVID-19 vaccine requirement for children

Costa Rican children aged five and over must be vaccinated against COVID-19, according to a new mandate from the Ministry of Health, making the Central American country one of the first to adopt such a requirement for children.

The move would add COVID-19 to a list of other infectious diseases for which childhood vaccines have been required for years, including polio and smallpox.

“Our basic vaccination program has brought under control many viruses that cause suffering and health consequences and even death in minors,” said Minister of Health Daniel Salas in a statement announcing the addition of COVID-19 on the program.

Coronavirus infection rates in Costa Rica have recently followed a downward trend, with confirmed deaths from COVID-19 totaling more than 7,000, according to official data, out of a population of around 5.1 million. residents.

So far, nearly three-quarters of the nation’s 12-19 year-olds have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while about 54% of all Costa Ricans have been fully immunized.

The United States Food and Drug Administration approved this week emergency use of Pfizer for children 5 to 11 years of age – the first to be approved for the youngest.

Pfizer said a clinical trial has shown its vaccine to provide greater than 90% protection against symptomatic COVID-19 in children.

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Reuters / ABC

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