COVID-19 Vaccine Updates
Vaccines for Children
In late September, Pfizer announced that the Phase 2/3 trial for children 5 to 11 showed that their COVID-19 vaccine was safe and generated a “robust” antibody response. The trial included more than 2.200 participants and used a two-dose regimen of the vaccine administered three weeks apart. This trial used a 10-microgram dose while the vaccine for people 12 and older has a 30-microgram dose. Of the 2,200 participants, 978 were given the placebo and there were 16 COVID-19 cases. This suggests that the vaccine is extremely effective in preventing COVID-19 in this age group.
A Pfizer spokesperson confirmed that were no instances of myocarditis and that side effects comparable to those observed in patients 16 to 25 years of age. They typically last one to three days and include:
- Pain at the injection site
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Chills and/or fever
- Muscle and/or joint pain
Pfizer also stated that trial data for children as young as 6 months can be expected “as soon as the fourth quarter of this year.” Pfizer said plans to submit the data to the US Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization will be “soon.” Food and Drug Administration officials also said that once the data is submitted, an authorization for a vaccine for younger children could be available in a matter of weeks. A Pfizer spokesperson says that a formal request for an emergency-use authorization has not yet been filed but that it would be in the upcoming weeks. Shots are expected to be available by the end of the year.
References:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/20/health/pfizer-child-vaccine-data/index.html
https://amp.usatoday.com/amp/8413595002
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