It was recently announced that a low dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is safe for kids ages 5 to 11.
It was recently announced that a low dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is safe for kids ages 5 to 11. If one-third of the dose administered to adults is given to children, it results in a strong response from their immune system.
The positive results from this research have been eagerly anticipated by parents. Many parents find it important that children are vaccinated against Covid-19 to lower the risk of catching it and transferring it. In the U.S., schools are reopening, and some parents want their kids to be vaccinated to protect them from any new deadly strains of Covid-19.
Debbie-Ann Shirley, a pediatric doctor for infectious diseases at the University of Virginia and medical director of the Covid-19 clinic, stated that the side effects of the dose administered in children under the age of 12 were similar to those witnessed in older kids, and they resolved in a short time.
The number of kids affected by Covid-19 in the U.S. is at an all-time high with the emergence of the Delta variant. By September 16, around 226,000 children had been diagnosed with Covid-19. The American Academy of Pediatrics said that coronavirus symptoms are mild in children, but they still need the protection a vaccine can offer.
Pfizer Vaccine - A Short History
The Pfizer vaccine has become the first vaccine approved for everyone above the age of 16 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It was also the first vaccine authorized for emergency use by the FDA back in December 2020.
Pfizer is a messenger RNA vaccine. Unlike vaccines that use inactive viruses, Pfizer injects a piece of the SARS CoV-2 genetic code inside our bodies. The genetic code teaches our cells to replicate spike proteins from the virus and start an immune response. It must be stored at freezing temperatures, which makes it challenging to transport compared to other vaccines.
When it was first approved, reports showed that the Pfizer vaccine’s efficacy was above 90%. New research that has surfaced has shown the effectiveness goes down to 84% after six months. The effectiveness for Pfizer was extremely high for the Alpha and Beta variants of Covid-19. Against the Delta variant, the Pfizer vaccine’s efficacy is at 88% against symptomatic disease, and it is 96% effective against getting hospitalized.
Since the vaccines were first developed, Pfizer has been compared with Moderna. Both vaccines have shown excellent results against Covid-19 and all the variants. Federal health officials have maintained that both vaccines have equal effectiveness, but that is not necessarily true.
Across the U.S., around 221 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine have been administered, compared to Moderna’s 150 million doses. The New England Journal of Medicine carried out a study on 5,000 health workers across the United States and found that Pfizer’s efficacy against symptomatic disease is 88%. The same research showed that Moderna’s effectiveness against symptomatic disease is 96.3%.
Both of these vaccines are mRNA-based, and transporting them is difficult due to the temperature requirement. However, the Pfizer vs. Moderna debate keeps reigniting all over the world, even though both vaccines are incredibly effective.
According to studies, once people are injected with Moderna, they have a stronger immune response, and more antibodies form for a longer time. However, compared to other available vaccines, the results from Pfizer are also impressive.
Is Pfizer Safe for Children?
According to the latest report, the Pfizer vaccine has been deemed safe for children under the age of 12 when administered in a smaller amount. The side effects are mild and don’t typically last for more than 1 to 3 days. Some of the side effects of the vaccine are soreness in the arm, aches, and fever.
Pfizer aims to get authorized for emergency use of the vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. It could offer protection to kids that need it as the school year is about to start. The Delta variant of Covid-19 has caused another wave of destruction in the United States, and this strain has infected more children than all the previous strains. As the number of infected children rises, Pfizer has found out that a smaller dose of the vaccine can be helpful.
Other vaccines like Moderna have been banned from being administered to children in European countries like Sweden and Denmark. Data from both countries showed a higher risk of myocarditis and pericarditis in people under the age of 18 who received the Moderna shot. These countries have encouraged young people to get Pfizer instead, as its results have been safer in children.
Final Takeaway
Studies have established that Pfizer is one of the most effective Covid-19 vaccines in the world. The Pfizer vaccine’s efficacy is as high as 96% against hospitalization. It was the first vaccine to be approved by the FDA for all age groups above 12, and the company is now working towards getting Pfizer approved for administering in children aged 5 to 11.
The recent release from the company has claimed the Pfizer vaccine is safe for children under 12 if they get one-third of the dose given to adults.
