Although Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Is Approved, It’s Not for Young Kids Yet

With many parents of young children anxiously awaiting the authorization of a COVID-19 vaccine for those younger than 12, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says they need to wait. The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines both have Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for children ages 12 to 15 and 12 to 17, respectively. Pfizer received full approval for its COVID-19 vaccine for those age 16 and older on August 23, which made many parents wonder if this may lead to eligibility for younger children. The FDA notes that the data are not in yet on any of the large-scale clinical trials investigating the use of COVID-19 immunizations among children younger than 12, and that dosages of COVID-19 vaccines for younger children will be lower than those used on adolescents age 12 and older. For instance, the Pfizer vaccine for those age 12 and older contains 31 micrograms, while public health experts expect that, for younger children, the dose will be 10 micrograms. The EUA for COVID-19 vaccines for kids ages 5 to 11 is expected to come in December. Click here to read more.