US to authorise Pfizer booster shot for children, report says
It is unclear how much demand there is for the third dose in the age group.
US health regulators are expected to authorise a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11 as soon as Tuesday, the New York Times reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.
The companies submitted an application to the US Food and Drug Administration for the authorisation last month.
They have cited data from a mid- to late-stage study showing a third dose of their shot increased protection against the original coronavirus version and the Omicron variant among children in the age group.
It is unclear how much demand there is for the third dose in the age group. Just 28.8% of children aged five to 11 are fully vaccinated, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A meeting of outside vaccine experts on an advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been scheduled for Thursday, the report said.
The FDA declined to comment, while Pfizer and BioNTech did not respond to requests for comment.
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