Belgium to begin vaccinating children between 5 and 11

Belgium's health ministers agreed Monday to start vaccinating children aged between 5 and 11 against the coronavirus.

Ministers from the country of 11.5 million said the vaccination is highly recommended to children with conditions that put them at high risk for complications from COVID-19.

Those children will be invited to receive their jabs as a priority before the end of the month.

EU regulators last month approved a reduced-dose vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech for use in the 5-11 age group.

To counter a new spike in case of the virus which has already claimed 27,900 lives in Belgium, the government has tightened rules for schools and nurseries, bringing school holidays forward and asking children aged 6 and over to wear masks. In addition, classes must close when two children from the same class test positive.