US CDC ADVISERS RECOMMEND PFIZER’S COVID-19 VACCINE FOR CHILDREN AGES 5-11
NEW YORK, Nov 3 — United States children from 5 to 11 years old may soon be able to get a low-dose COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech, as advisers to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) voted unanimously on Tuesday to recommend the shots for this age group numbering around 28 million.
“If the recommendations are endorsed by CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky, as expected, children could begin getting their shots within the next several days,” Xinhua news agency reported according to National Public Radio (NPR).
The vaccine is one-third the adult dose and the vaccine would be given in two doses, three weeks apart. The lower dose was chosen to minimise side effects and still produce strong immunity, said Pfizer.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted emergency use authorisation of the vaccine in 5-11-year-olds on Friday. The FDA authorised a 10-microgramme dose of Pfizer’s vaccine in young children.
The original shot given to those age 12 and older is 30 microgrammes.
On Monday, White House COVID-19 response coordinator Jeffrey Zients said that the government has purchased enough of the low-dose children’s vaccine for everyone in this age group.
The CDC’s latest data show that 172 US children ages 5-11 have died from COVID-19 and more than 8,300 have been hospitalised.
— BERNAMA
