On Monday, Pfizer released the initial trial results, showing that its vaccine is safe and effective for the 5-11 age group. The findings are a key step toward inoculating a younger population that so far has been unprotected from the virus.
“It’s good to hear the studies are paying off,” García said. “We are happy to be part of the process to help other people get more trust in the vaccine, so we can start getting back to normal as soon as possible.”
The announcement summarized results from 2,268 trial participants. The findings show that children develop an antibody response similar to the 16- to 25-year-old age group when given a lower dosage of the vaccine.
Pfizer and BioNTech, the company’s German partner, plan to include the data in a “near-term submission for Emergency Use Authorization” while safety research is ongoing. Dr. Bill Gruber, a Pfizer senior vice president, told The Associated Press that the company plans to apply for emergency use by the end of the month.
My kids are thankfully old enough to already be vaccinated, but I know a lot of people who have been eagerly awaiting this announcement. I expect there will be a surge of new vaccinations in the weeks following the emergency use grant, and while it will surely fall well short of the full total of eligible kids, it will make a decent dent in the overall vaccination rate. We’re going to need every bit of this. The 19th and Daily Kos have more.
21 days and counting………
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