Canada has become the first country to authorise the use of the Pfizer Covid vaccine on children aged 12 to 15. Many other countries are likely to follow suit. BBC News has the story.
[Canada’s] Health Ministry made the decision based on data from phase three clinical trials on children that age.“The department determined that this vaccine is safe and effective when used in this younger age group,” an adviser at the Ministry said. Pfizer says its jab works well in the age group.
Canada has already authorised the use of the Pfizer vaccine in people over 16.
The state of Alberta, which has the highest rate of the virus in the country, said it would offer vaccines to those over 12 from Monday.
Canada has recorded more than 1.2 million coronavirus cases and roughly 20% of those have been in people under the age of 19.
The country’s vaccine rollout has been relatively slow, caused by delivery delays. About 34% of people in the country have received at least one dose of the vaccine while the figure in the US stands at 44%, according to Our World in Data…
As part of the vaccine’s approval, Pfizer will have to continue providing information to Canada’s Health Ministry on the safety, efficacy and quality of the vaccine in those aged 12 to 15.
In March, Pfizer said initial results from trials of its vaccine in this age group showed 100% efficacy and a strong immune response.
U.S. regulators are expected to authorise the use of the Pfizer vaccine in the same age group in the coming days, and in the U.K. the NHS is preparing to vaccinate schoolchildren from September, shortly before those aged over 50 will be offered a third Covid vaccine dose.
The BBC News report is worth reading in full.
