Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for use in children ages 12 to 15 on Wednesday. It followed a CDC advisory committee voting in favor earlier Wednesday after the move Monday by the Food and Drug Administration to give emergency use authorization for distribution to children ages 12 to 15.
"CDC now recommends that this vaccine be used among this population, and providers may begin vaccinating them right away," Rochelle Walensky, CDC director, said in a statement Wednesday. "Though most children with COVID-19 have mild or no symptoms, some children can get severely ill and require hospitalization. There have also been rare, tragic cases of children dying from COVID-19 and its effects, including multisystem inflammatory syndrome."
Most states waited for the CDC's go-ahead to start vaccinating the new age group. Now that approval has come, 12- to 15-year-olds across the entire US could start getting vaccinated as soon as Thursday.
Read more: When will kids get the COVID-19 vaccine? Here's who else may have to wait
The FDA said it reached its decision after analyzing the data available from clinical trials.
Pfizer asked for emergency use authorization among children in early April, after finding in its own study that the vaccine was 100% effective among 12- to 15-year-olds.
As of May 10, the US has fully vaccinated more than 106.5 million people, or around 32.5% of the population, according to data from John Hopkins University. Biden last week announced a plan for 70% of adults in the US to have at least their first COVID-19 shot by July 4.
Correction, May 11: The CDC will make a final determination.
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
from CNET https://ift.tt/3bmoKOG
via IFTTT
No comments:
Post a Comment