European Countries Evenly Split on COVID Jabs for Teenagers

European countries are almost evenly split on whether to administer coronavirus vaccinations to teenagers as alarm mounts on the continent about a possible fourth wave of infections.     Sixteen countries, including France and Italy, are now vaccinating children above the age of 12 or plan to do so; while 17 countries have decided against, or will only jab teenagers, if they have serious underlying health conditions. Another four countries remain undecided.   Vaccinating children is increasingly a contentious issue in Europe — made more so by the uptick in confirmed coronavirus cases some countries are witnessing thanks to the rapid spread of the Delta variant, which was first detected in India.  

The French government warned Wednesday that France is seeing the more contagious Delta variant spreading fast across the country. “The risk of a rapid fourth wave is here,” said government spokesman Gabriel Attal at a media briefing Wednesday. The Delta variant accounts for 40% of new infections in France, he said, up 20% from last week.     Eleven French regions are reporting infection rates have jumped over the past seven days, Attal said. France has been one of the hardest hit countries in Europe with more than 111,000 deaths.   Around 64% of France's adult population has received at least one vaccine dose, and just under 50% have been fully vaccinated, according to government health authorities. But the government is battling vaccine hesitancy.     Like other European countries, France has struggled to maintain a high pace of vaccinations. Last month, it made teenagers eligible for the COVID-19 vaccination, provided they have parental consent. Risks vs Benefits   A study of seven countries published in March by The Lancet, the British medical journal, found that fewer than two out of every million children have died because of COVID. Those opposed to vaccinating teenagers argue the risks of adverse reactions outweigh the benefits.