(NEW YORK) – As the COVID-19 pandemic hit the globe, more than 5 million people have died from the disease worldwide, including over 763,000, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University American .
According to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 68.8% of Americans 12 and older are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
This is how the news develops. All times east:
November 15, 9:08 a.m.
Austria’s capital starts vaccinating younger children in a pilot project
As part of a new pilot project, small children in Austria’s capital can now be vaccinated against COVID-19.
As of Monday, around 200 children aged 5 to 11 in Vienna can receive the low-dose Pfizer BioNTech vaccine every day. Registration for the pilot project, which is limited to the capital, opened at the weekend and more than 9,000 appointments have been booked since then, according to the Austrian newspaper Kurier.
The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine may only be used “off-label” in this case, as the European Medicines Agency has not yet approved the vaccine for this younger age group.
Meanwhile, a nationwide lockdown began at midnight on Monday for all unvaccinated people over the age of 12. Residents who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 are not allowed to leave their homes except for basic activities such as work, shopping, walking, or vaccinating.
November 15, 7:17 a.m.
Israel approves COVID-19 vaccination for younger children
The Israeli Ministry of Health announced on Sunday that children aged 5 to 11 are eligible for a vaccination against COVID-19.
The decision follows the approval of the Pfizer BioNTech low-dose vaccine for 5 to 11 year olds by an advisory panel last week.
“The majority of the experts in the committee were of the opinion that the benefits of vaccinating this age group outweighs any risk,” said the Ministry of Health on Sunday.
A start date for the vaccination campaign will be announced shortly, said the Ministry of Health. COVID-19 vaccination for this age group is not mandatory and parents have a choice.
More than 62% of the 9.2 million people in Israel have already received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while nearly 44% have also received a booster, according to the Ministry of Health.
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