The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE coronavirus vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years, making it the first COVID-19 shot for young children in the United States. The FDA authorized a 10-microgram dose of Pfizer's vaccine in young children, lower than the 30 micrograms in the original vaccine for those age 12 and older. The regulator said on Friday that the known and potential benefits of the Pfizer vaccine in individuals aged between 5 and 11 outweigh the risks. Pfizer and BioNTech said their vaccine showed 90.7% efficacy against the coronavirus in a clinical trial of children aged 5 to 11. Vaccination coverage among the age group is lower than in older groups, according to the CDC.

Source: The Telegraph October 30, 2021 18:10 UTC