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Nov 25, 2021 - Health

EU drug regulator recommends Pfizer COVID vaccine for kids

Tina Reed
A nurse fills a syringe with a Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for a child.

Photo: Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The European Union's drug regulatory agency on Thursday recommended the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 years old.

Driving the news: The European Medicines Agency said the dose for kids "will be lower than that used in people aged 12 and above," per a press release from the agency.

  • They cited a study in children ages 5 to 11 that found the vaccine to be 90.7% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19.
  • The recommendation will be sent to the European Commission, which will issue a final decision.

The big picture: The announcement comes after the CDC earlier this month recommended Pfizer shots for kids of the same age group.

What to watch: Pfizer and BioNTech said they have submitted requests for authorization of their COVID-19 vaccine for kids to other regulators around the world.

  • The companies say they also expect initial pivotal data from their ongoing clinical trial in children 2 to 5 years old this quarter and in kids aged 6 months to 2 years in the first quarter of 2022.
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