US to discuss under-5 vaccine authorization on the 15th

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory agency’s vaccine advisory committee will meet on February 15 to discuss Pfizer and BioNTech’s application for an emergency use authorization of their vaccine for children 6 months and older. .

The virtual meeting will give scientists a chance to review available clinical trial data and make a recommendation on whether the vaccine would be appropriate for this age group.

The meeting is open to the public and will be streamed live on YouTube and the FDA website. Meeting materials will be available at least two days in advance.

“Having a safe and effective vaccine available for children in this age group is a priority for the agency and we are committed to a timely review of the data, which the agency asked Pfizer to give hope in the face of the rise in Omicron cases,” Janet Woodcock, FDA commissioner, said in a press release.

“Children are not small adults. As they are still growing and developing, it is critical that these vaccines are evaluated in well-designed and well-conducted clinical trials.”

Woodcock said that, in the meantime, the best way to protect children in this age group is to ensure everyone around them is vaccinated and to use other prevention measures such as social distancing and masks.

The FDA approved the vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 in October. Children ages 12 to 15 are also eligible to receive a booster dose.

Although 8.7 million Covid-19 vaccines were given to eligible US children, children are still the least vaccinated of any age group.

Source: CNN Brasil

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