The US Food and Drug Administration, approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 for children aged five to 11, opening up a new age group sideways.
Children are less likely to have severe symptoms if they get COVID-19, but they can still catch and transmit the disease, according to the FDA. Cases and deaths in children peaked in September, which was the worst month for this age group, with more than a million new cases recorded at these ages.
The authorization makes vaccination available at 28 millions new people in USA only. A US poll in September found that about a third of parents say they want to vaccinate their five- to 11-year-olds "immediately" after approval.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is available for this group under an emergency use license. The FDA has fully approved the vaccine for people 16 years of age and older, but it is still being considered product emergency use for children aged five to 16 years.
California plans to add the COVID-19 vaccine to its list of vaccines required for school-age children as soon as it receives full approval for school-age children and adolescents. New York is considering something similar.
The others two εμβόλια για τον COVID-19 που είναι διαθέσιμα στις ΗΠΑ, (Moderna και Johnson & Johnson), είναι διαθέσιμα μόνο σε άτομα ηλικίας από 18 ετών και άνω. Η FDA ήταν κοντά στο να διαθέσει και το εμβόλιο Moderna στους εφήβους μεταξύ 12 και 17 ετών, αλλά καθυστέρησε την απόφαση για να εξετάσει προσεκτικότερα τα data for a rare risk of heart inflammation. Johnson & Johnson is still conducting trials in younger age groups.