Dozens of children mistakenly given Covid jabs for adults
Forty-two children aged five to 11 have been given Covid-19 vaccine doses meant for adults. Health authorities in Hanover, Germany, have claimed it should not enhance the risk of side effects.
On Monday, a spokesperson for the Hanover regional government announced that 42 children at a city zoo vaccination center had been given shots with higher concentrations, meant for adults.
The chief specialist at the health department, Marlene Graf, said the increased dose is not harmful, and no serious consequences are expected. “According to our knowledge, possible side effects should be limited to local reactions and fever,” she stated.
Graf explained that from a medical point of view, it is unnecessary to give children an increased dose of the vaccine but suggested it would not have a negative impact on their immunity against Covid-19.
The boys and girls received three times the dose of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine intended for their age group – 30 micrograms instead of 10 micrograms, according to German media.
All parents of the children concerned have been informed directly by the regional administration, the spokesperson said. Medical advice has been made available to them.
Regional president Steffen Krach said the mistake must not be repeated. “Even if no serious health consequences are to be expected, something like this should not have happened,” he stated.
