World News | Portugal Starts Vaccinating Children Amid Omicron Variant

Lisbon [Portugal], December 19 (ANI/Xinhua): Portugal started vaccinating children ages 5-11 against COVID-19 on Saturday, said the country's Directorate-General for Health (DGS).

About 41,200 children were vaccinated on Saturday, with priority being given to those with comorbidities, it added.

Also Read | COVID-19 Booster Shot 80% Effective Against Severe Omicron, Says Report.

According to the government forecast, a total of 77,000 children will receive vaccines formulated in pediatric doses by the Pfizer laboratory, with the second dose being administered between February 5 and March 13 next year.

Deputy Secretary of State and Health Antonio Lacerda Sales said that all children up to 11 years old "may come to vaccination centers and receive the vaccine."

Also Read | TikTok to Launch Delivery Service With Food From Viral Videos in US.

Portugal has surpassed the so-called "red line" of pandemic emergency with the highest incidence being children over 10 years of age.

Portuguese Health Minister Marta Temido revealed that the Omicron variant represents 20 per cent of COVID-19 cases in the country.

"Based on estimates, we know that this variant could reach 50 per cent by Christmas and 80 per cent in the week of the end of the year," she told a press conference.

Portugal has reported another 5,062 infections and 12 deaths related to COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, according to the DGS. (ANI/Portugal)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)