ARCHIVED - Spanish regions want to vaccinate over 12s before new school year starts
There are currently 3,949,296 youngsters in Spain aged between 12 and 19, according to the National Statistics Institute.
Six Spanish regions, Extremadura, Castilla y León, the Balearics, Catalonia, Andalusia and Aragón have all said they intend to vaccinate students over the age of 12 before the next school year begins in September.
The regions have spoken up on the matter following the announcement on Tuesday that teenagers were the youngest of three new age groups included in the latest update to the vaccination schedule.
Catalonia and the Balearics have suggested that students are given their jabs at school, but that may not be the best way to go about it as school facilities are not open in August.
While the Education Minister, Isabel Celaá, has said that for logistical reasons it may well be easier to vaccinate all students at once at the beginning of September, she said that the decision as to whether the jabs would be administered in schools was down to the Ministry of Health.
Last month, the EMA approved the Covid-19 vaccine by Pfizer for use in 12 to 15-year-olds. Previously it had only been authorized for use in patients aged 16 and over. Spain is one of four countries currently taking part in trials of the vaccine with younger children.