The Food and Drug Administration (Fda) has authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, with a reduced dose (one third of that for adults) and two injections three weeks apart . A decision that affects some 28 million American children.
Covid, symptoms vary with age in children. More colds under 3, headaches over 3
The decision will now go through the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whose authorization is required prior to administration. A meeting of the CDC Advisory Committee is scheduled for next week and they are expected to swiftly authorize public distribution. Pfizer and BionTech have ensured that the low-dose vaccine for children, one third of that given to adults, is effective for more than 90 percent of cases in preventing asymptomatic Covid infection.
Covid, vials and smaller needles, the vaccine for children arriving in the US. In Italy it is scheduled for Christmas
by Elena Dusi
The doses were well tolerated even by young children, producing side effects comparable to those seen in a study of people between the ages of 16 and 25.