COVID-19: Pfizer vaccine safe, effective on adolescents in trial- companies

Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine is 100% effective against the virus in children ages 12 to 15, the companies announced in a press release on Wednesday.

The vaccine is already authorized for use in people and produced robust antibody responses in 12 to 15-year olds, paving the way for them to seek U.S. emergency use authorization in weeks.

Albert Bourla, Pfizer’s chairman and chief executive, hope the vaccinations of the group could begin before the next school year.

The trial registered 2,260 adolescents 12 to 15 years of age. There were 18 cases of COVID-19 were observed in the placebo group and none in the vaccinated group resulting in 100% efficacy in preventing COVID-19.

 “The company planned to seek emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, in the coming weeks and to other regulators around the world, with the hope of starting to vaccinate this age group before the start of the next school year,” Bourla said.

The companies gave the first vaccine doses in a series of trials testing the vaccine in younger children, that will eventually go to those as young as 6 months of age.

It did not list the side effects for the younger group, but the adult trial’s side effects generally were mild to moderate and included injection-site pain, headaches, fever and fatigue.

The vaccine was well condone, with side effects in line with those seen among those aged 16 to 25 in the adult trial.

Kamila Bello/Reuters

kamila/reuters