Kid-size doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine appear safe and nearly 91% effective at preventing symptomatic infections in 5- to 11-year-olds, according to study details released Friday as the U.S. considers opening vaccinations to that age group.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
The shots could begin early next month — with the first children in line fully protected by Christmas — if regulators give the go-ahead.
Details of Pfizer’s study posted online Friday. Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration will publicly debate the evidence next week.
The FDA is expected to post its independent review of the company’s safety and effectiveness data later Friday. If the FDA ultimately authorizes the shots, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will make the final decision on who should receive them in early November.
Full-strength Pfizer shots already are authorized for anyone 12 or older, but pediatricians and many parents are anxiously awaiting protection for younger children to stem rising infections from the extra-contagious delta variant and help keep kids in school.
More than 25,000 pediatricians and primary care providers already have signed up to get the shots into little arms.
The Biden administration has purchased enough kid-size doses — in special orange-capped vials to distinguish them from adult vaccine — for the nation’s roughly 28 million 5- to 11-year-olds. If the vaccine is cleared, millions of doses will be promptly shipped around the country, along with kid-size needles.
A Pfizer study tracked 2,268 kids in that age group who got two shots three weeks apart of either a placebo or the low-dose vaccine. Each dose was one-third the amount given to teens and adults.
Researchers calculated the low-dose vaccine was nearly 91% effective, based on 16 COVID-19 cases in youngsters given dummy shots versus three cases among vaccinated children. There were no severe illnesses reported among any of the youngsters but the vaccinated ones had much milder symptoms than their unvaccinated counterparts.
In addition, young children given the low-dose shots developed coronavirus-fighting antibody levels just as strong as teens and young adults who got regular-strength vaccinations.
That’s important information considering that hospitalizations of mostly unvaccinated children reached record levels last month.
The CDC reported earlier this week that even as the delta mutant surged between June and September, Pfizer vaccinations were 93% effective at preventing hospitalizations among 12- to 18-year-olds.
Pfizer’s study of younger kids found the low-dose shots proved safe, with similar or fewer temporary side effects such as sore arms, fever or achiness that teens experience.
The study isn’t large enough to detect any extremely rare side effects, such as the heart inflammation that occasionally occurs after the second dose, mostly in young men.
While children run a lower risk of severe illness or death than older people, COVID-19 has killed more than 630 Americans 18 and under, according to the CDC. Nearly 6.2 million children have been infected with the coronavirus, more than 1.1 million in the last six weeks as the delta mutant surged, the American Academy of Pediatrics says.
Moderna also is studying its COVID-19 shots in elementary school-age youngsters. Pfizer and Moderna are studying even younger children as well, down to 6-month-olds. Results are expected later in the year.
A study of 2000 kids what a joke, this is really crazy. I live in NYC where there are probably upwards of 50,000 orthodox jewish kids and i havent heard even a single kid dangerously sick or in a hospital. 2000 is a junk study. we need to fight this strongly.
Fewer than 700 kids died of covid since the start of the pandemic…..
Millions of kids got infected, less than 700 died… you listening?
I will leave it at that.
“The Biden administration has purchased enough kid-size doses — in special orange-capped vials to distinguish them from adult vaccine — for the nation’s roughly 28 million 5- to 11-year-olds. If the vaccine is cleared, millions of doses will be promptly shipped around the country, along with kid-size needles.”
First, they buy 28 million doses of this, enough for every single child in the country, and on only the chance that it will be approved?
Does anyone seriously believe that they spent all that money on a mere chance?
The sheker is unbelievable.
Pfizer says,,,who is Pfizer anyway? Of course they promote their own product. They are here for the money. They couldn’t care less about us. Wake up!
What Pfizer doesnt say is, that covid isnt a deadly disease for kids.
Pneumonia is deadlier. Have you ever thought giving your kids a Pneumonia shot?
Please do yourself a favor and look up the government covid19 data on kids…
Everyone should go learn the difference between relative and absolute risk
They’re playing a numbers game with us
The 91% effective is based on RELATIVE risk which means based on how many got sick vs how many didn’t
But the fact that the vast majority of the unvaccinated group did not get sick means the absolute risk reduction is closer to less than 1% because most of the unvaccinated group Did NOT catch covid and probably wouldn’t have even without the vaccine
It’s a flashy trick to make the vaccine look impressive
But 3 cases vs 16 cases is irrelevant
In BOTH groups, most kids didn’t catch covid
I ain’t pricking my kids. Bad enough I got fever for 3 days and was in bed after each jab. To have 7 kvethcy kids at home in pain? No way. Their risk is low. Its very are for a child to even be hospitalized and our community as a whole doesn’t seem to be at a major risk. I will stay away. And even if the govt mandates our schools won’t listen. Too bad. I do respect its a personal choice and those that wish to vacinate kids should.
PS I am still pro vaccines for adults who never had covid. For you its worth the pain because it somewhat helps. So I am pro vax.
While it is rear that children get Covid they do and yes they even can die. The problem is they are spreaders of all deceased including Covid. The polio vaccine was given to first graders with
Limited testing yo stop the decease and nut was effective. And yes no choice