The US Food and Drug Administration (Food and Drug Administration), approved the vaccine Pfizer/BioNTech για τον COVID-19 για παιδιά ηλικίας πέντε έως 11 ετών, ανοίγοντας πλάγια μια νέα ηλικιακή ομάδα.
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 to 28 million young people in the United States alone. 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 with permission emergency use. The FDA has fully approved the vaccine for people 16 years of age and older, but it is still considered an emergency use product for children ages five to 16.
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 other two COVID-19 vaccines available in the US, (Modern and Johnson & Johnson), are only available to people 18 years of age or older. The FDA was close to making Moderna's vaccine available to teens between 12 and 17 years old as well, but delayed the decision to take a closer look at data on a rare risk of heart inflammation. Johnson & Johnson is still conducting trials in younger age groups.
