Pfizer filed an EUA. When will kids be able to get vaccinated?

Pfizer has filed an emergency use authorization utility with the Meals and Drug Administration for kids ages 5 to 11 to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine.

Circumstances, hospitalizations and deaths in youngsters have all elevated throughout the Delta variant surge. Simply in need of 6 million youngsters have examined constructive for the coronavirus in the US because the begin of the pandemic, representing 16.2% of all instances, in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Youngsters represented greater than 1 / 4 of all COVID instances in America for the final week of September.

Whereas the loss of life charge in youngsters is low — 0.03% or decrease, the AAP reported — they nonetheless danger lengthy COVID signs and the possibly lethal inflammatory situation MIS-C, together with the possibility of transmitting the illness to extra susceptible adults. Greater than 400 youngsters between the ages of 5 and 18 have died of COVID-19 in the US, together with 181 youngsters underneath 5.

As compared, Pfizer says its vaccine is protected and efficient in youngsters 5 to 11. (Youngsters 12 to 17, in addition to all adults, are already capable of be vaccinated.) The dosage is one-third of the quantity in the usual grownup vaccine, however resulted in equal antibody ranges in youngsters in comparison with youngsters and younger adults. Youngsters skilled comparable or fewer short-term negative effects like sore arms and fevers from the vaccine than youngsters did, a Pfizer scientist instructed the Related Press.

Pfizer introduced the information concerning the emergency use utility in a tweet Thursday morning.

So what does this imply for when children can get vaccinated?

There isn’t a timetable for a way lengthy the method might take. Final yr, Pfizer submitted its utility for emergency use of the vaccine for adults on Nov. 20, and it was OK’d on Dec. 11 — three weeks later. (The vaccine obtained full FDA approval this summer time.) Pfizer submitted the info for vaccine use in youngsters to the FDA final month, earlier than submitting the emergency use utility. Proper now, it’ll depend upon how rapidly the FDA evaluations the appliance and information.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the Nationwide Institute for Allergy and Infectious Illnesses, mentioned he thinks vaccines could possibly be accredited and rolled out for kids by Halloween. The Related Press and Wall Avenue Journal quoted an individual conversant in the matter however not approved to talk publicly who anticipated availability by Thanksgiving or presumably sooner.

Trials for kids are nonetheless underway by Moderna, which is testing its vaccine in youngsters ages 6 to 11, and Johnson & Johnson, which is testing its model in adolescents ages 12 to 17. Moderna and Pfizer have beforehand mentioned they’ve trials deliberate or in progress for kids as younger as 6 months. Pfizer mentioned in July that it expects to have information on vaccines for kids ages 6 months and older this month or subsequent.