Pfizer CEO and Chairman Albert Bourla announced “we are eager for 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.” He further stated, “since July, pediatric cases of Covid-19 have risen by about 240 percent in the U.S. – underscoring the public health need for vaccination.”
A trial conducted recently determined that it provided younger children “safety, tolerability and immunogenicity” against the coronavirus as well as the contagious delta variant.
There were a total of 2,268 children aged between 5 to 11 who participated in the trial. They followed the ritual of two doses. According to a press release by the company, “in participants 5 to 11 years of age, the vaccine was safe, well-tolerated, and showed robust neutralizing antibody responses.”
The FDA has already approved the Pfizer vaccine to be administered to people aged as young as 16 years and older. The Pfizer vaccine is authorized to be administered for emergency usage over children between 12 to 15.
Pfizer chairman 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.”
According to the company sources, there are two other trials ongoing at the moment for children aged between 2 to 5 and another one is being administered to children in the age bracket of 6 months to 2 years old. It is expected that the outcome of the trials will be made public later this year.
Pfizer has requested FDA to authorize it for the administration of a third booster dose for children over 2 in order to determine issues related to immunocompromise. So far it has not been approved President Joe Biden has allowed boosters to roll out only for citizens aged 65 or above or people who are at high risk because of severe Covid-19 infection.
