Pfizer says its vaccine is 90.7 percent effective in kids ages 5 to 11
U.S. regulators are inching closer to authorizing Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in children ages five to 11. On October 22 the FDA released Pfizer’s analysis of its clinical trials of 2,268 participants showing that the vaccine is 90.7 percent effective at preventing symptomatic disease in kids in this age group. The analysis also showed that none of the participants reported cases of severe disease or the COVID-19-related multi-inflammatory syndrome that has been seen in children.
The company had previously announced that its analysis shows the vaccine is safe and elicits “robust” neutralizing antibodies. The vaccine follows a two-dose regimen of 10 milligram doses—a third of the dosage that is given to adults.
A key FDA advisory committee will discuss Pfizer's data on October 26, with a final ruling to come in the following days or weeks. The White House has announced its plans to roll out the vaccines by working with more than 25,000 pediatricians and other primary care sites, children’s hospitals, pharmacies, school clinics, and more.
