The Health Department said that young people across the world were already getting the vaccines, and so parents in South Africa did not need to be too concerned about their children getting the jab.
University of Cape Town (UCT) vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng said that at a meeting last weekend, the council discussed this 'complex' matter fully, taking into consideration a range of diverse views.
The Health Department is recommending that parents have an open discussion with their children about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines to help them make an informed decision.
At this stage, children will only be allowed to get one shot of the Pfizer vaccine but this could change once further research determines whether a second dose is safe for this cohort.
The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) announced on Monday that it would not be approving the use of Sputnik V due to safety concerns on the AD5 component of the vaccine among populations at risk for HIV infection.
The authorisation request is based on data from trials conducted on 2,268 children in this age group for whom the dosage was lowered to 10 micrograms per injection - three times less than the standard dose - which the company says is "the preferred dose" for 5-11 year olds.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla said that they were also looking into a booster shot for those with a weakened immune system.
More than 20 million doeses of COVID-19 vaccines have now been administered in South Africa, meaning over a quarter of the adult population is fully inoculated.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla has announced coronavirus vaccinations will be available for children from the age of 12 from Wednesday.
Under the new policy that was outlined last month, vaccinated travelers will still need to to undergo testing and contact tracing to enter the United States.
These include individuals who are on long-term oral steroids therapy for autoimmune conditions and those with haematological or immune malignancies while those who have received organ or bone marrow transplants, renal dialysis should also be considered.
Health Minister Joe Phaahla held a media briefing to provide an update on the COVID-19 statistics in South Africa, as well as the vaccine rollout programme. #Covid19news #vaccines
Health Minister Joe Phaahla said that the Pfizer vaccine would be rolled out to this age group.
Burundi only rarely makes public announcements about COVID infection data but according to the latest figures reported to the World Health Organization (WHO), it has recorded 19,441 confirmed cases with 14 deaths.
Members of the party have submitted a memorandum to the Constitutional Court calling on government to offer transparent information about the jabs.
South Africa has no vaccine mandate and the party said that it wanted to keep it that way.
Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane said that as much as a department continued to encourage healthcare workers to get vaccinated, it would certainly not force them to do so.
The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), was eagerly awaited in the United States because it looked at the possibility of 'mixing' vaccines - using a different vaccine than the initial doses for the booster shot - which is not currently allowed in the country.
