Jamie Blank (L) holds her son, Ari Blank’s hand as he receives the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine from healthcare worker Jen Feinberg (R) at the Jewish Federation/JARC’s offices in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan on May 13, 2021.
Jeff Kowalsky | AFP | Getty Images
Pfizer said Thursday it asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize its Covid-19 vaccine with BioNTech for kids ages 5 to 11.
The news couldn’t come any sooner for parents anxious to get their children vaccinated as kids start the new school year with the delta variant surging across America. The strain has led to a surge in U.S. hospitalizations, including among young kids who are currently ineligible to get vaccinated.
Last month, Pfizer released new data that showed a two-dose regimen of 10 micrograms — a third the dosage used for teens and adults – is safe and generates a “robust” immune response in a clinical trial of young children. It said the shots were well tolerated and produced an immune response and side effects comparable to those seen in a study of people ages 16 to 25.
Common side effects for teens and adults include fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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