Ljubljana - Vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 is starting as the vaccine for them is already available in Slovenia. Vaccination will take place at vaccination centres, and from Thursday on, also at UKC Ljubljana hospital's Paediatric Clinic, where 70 children have already registered for a jab.

Yesterday, the advisory group on immunization at the National Institute of Public Health (NIJZ) backed a proposal by paediatricians to recommend Covid-19 vaccination for children in this age group after children from 12 years on have been able to get vaccinated since May.

The paediatricians recommended vaccination especially for children with chronic diseases and those who are in contact with high-risk persons that cannot be effectively protected by vaccination.

They also recommend vaccination to all children in this age group, Paediatric Clinic medical director Marko Pokorn told the press today, arguing it was safe while it decreased coronavirus infections and the chance of having severe Covid-19, at the same time enabling kids to go to school as normal.

Apart from vaccination centres and the Paediatric Clinic, vaccination in smaller towns will be available at community health centres. Parents can register their children at vaccination centres, on the zVem app or at their paediatricians and will then get a date, Pokorn explained.

The majority of the 70 children aged 5-11 registered so far at the Paediatric Clinic are children of the clinic's staff, but also some patients with chronic conditions.

A vial of the vaccine adapted to children suffices for 10 jabs. The dose is smaller and less concentrated than for adults.