There is hope for a COVID-19 vaccine for young children as they head back to school.
According to study results released this morning, Pfizer and BioNTech have announced positive results following COVID-19 vaccine trials in children aged 5-11. The vaccine was “safe, well tolerated and showed robust neutralizing antibody responses” and administered in two doses, 21 days apart.
The doses were rather low, as 10μg (micrograms) are only 0.01 milligrams.
“Over the past nine months, hundreds of millions of people ages 12 and older from around the world have received our COVID-19 vaccine. We are eager to extend the protection afforded by the vaccine to this younger population, subject to regulatory authorization, especially as we track the spread of the Delta variant and the substantial threat it poses to children,” Albert Bourla, chairman and chief executive officer of Pfizer, said in the news statement.
Read our op-ed about how one student feels about the return to in-person learning here.
About 55% of Americans are vaccinated.
This was Pfizer’s first vaccine trial for this age group.
The Pfizer vaccine is only currently authorized for those 12 and up. As of Friday, September 17, the FDA has recommended that individuals 65 and up receive a third shot of Pfizer.
As shared by USA Today, children can contract and pass along the virus, as well as experience lifelong complications because of it.
“Since July, pediatric cases of COVID-19 have risen by about 240 percent in the U.S. — underscoring the public health need for vaccination,” Bourla said. “These trial results provide a strong foundation for seeking authorization of our vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old, and we plan to submit them to the FDA and other regulators with urgency.”
Read about the shortage of school bus drivers here.
