Pfizers COVID vaccine should be approved for kids 5 to 11 in the US advisory panel says
An influential advisory panel voted Tuesday that all children ages five to 11 in the U.S. should get Pfizer-BioNTech's pediatric COVID-19 shots, putting the country on the brink of a major expansion of vaccinations â€" and a final decision is expected within hours.
The Food and Drug Administration had already OK'd kid-sized doses â€" just a third of the amount given to teens and adults â€" as safe and effective for the younger age group.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formally recommends who should receive FDA-cleared vaccines, and in a unanimous vote, members of its advisory committee on immunization practices (ACIP) decided Pfizer's shots should be opened to all 28 million children aged five to 11.
If the CDC's director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, signs off, it will mark the first opportunity for Americans under 12 to get the powerful protection of any COVID-19 vaccine.
Shots into little arms could begin this week, as Pfizer was already packing and shipping the first orders â€" millions of doses â€" to states and pharmacies to be ready.
Health Canada is currently reviewing Pfizer-BioNTech's submission for the children's vaccine to be authorized in this country. The federal government is expecting 2.9 million child-size doses of the vaccine if it is approved, enough for every child to get their first dose.
0 Response to "Pfizers COVID vaccine should be approved for kids 5 to 11 in the US advisory panel says"
Post a Comment