Starting in September, Panama could begin applying the Covid-19 vaccine from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer to children 12 years of age and older, said the Minister of Health, Eyra Ruiz.

Ruiz said they are awaiting approval from international regulatory bodies for the emergency use of Pfizer's covid-19 vaccine for minors between the ages of 12 and 16.

“From 12 years upwards, which is the study that Pfizer has just released. We are already waiting for the approval of the international regulatory bodies to make this decision, in fact that is why the Government has increased the number of doses, we have already carried approximately nine million doses to be able to cover the entire population," said Minister Eyra Ruiz.

So far, Pfizer's covid-19 vaccine is the only one approved from the age of 16.

The pharmaceutical company Pfizer has already requested the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization for the emergency use of its vaccine in children between 12 and 15 years old, after phase 3 clinical trials in this age group showed a 100% efficiency, according to the company.

On February 28, the Cabinet Council authorized the Ministry of Health (Minsa) to sign an amendment to the contract with Pfizer for the additional purchase of almost 2 million additional doses of the vaccine against covid-19, to cover children under 18 years of age.