Pfizer on Thursday said they have made requests to the Food and Drug Administration, FDA, to authorize its Covid-19 vaccine with BioNTech for kids between the ages of 5 to 11. The positive news couldn’t have come any sooner for parents eager to get their kids vaccinated as children get set to begin the new school year with the delta variant surging across America. The strain has resulted in a surge in U.S hospitalizations, including among young kids who are currently ineligible to get vaccinated. The U.S FDA has scheduled October, 26 for its panel of outside advisers to meet and deliberate the application, making it possible for kids to commence receiving the vaccines shortly afterward. A rapid authorization of the vaccine in young kids could assist in mitigating a potential rise of cases this fall, with schools already in session nationwide. White House Covid-19 response Jeffrey Zients on Thursday, said the vaccine could be ready for delivery as early as November pending approval from federal regulatory health agencies.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics Children currently makeup about 27% of all U.S coronavirus cases and an increasing percentage of hospitalizations. This rate reflects the high contagiousness of the Delta variant among unvaccinated people.
While children are less susceptible to severe Covid-19, they can still spread the virus to others, including vulnerable populations that are more at risk of severe illness.
