Pfizer and BioNTech Say Their COVID-19 Jab Is Safe and Effective for Five to 11-Year-Olds

Jabs for almost everyone.

The COVID-19 vaccine rollout around the globe has been a bit shaky, to say the least. And with millions of people all around the world already fully vaccinated, many have started to ask when any jab will be safe and available for younger teens or kids.

Earlier this month, some state governments in Australia started rolling out the Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15-year-olds after the TGA approved its safety and effectiveness in that age group, but what about those in younger age groups?

Well, according to a report by Reuters, after some clinical trials, Pfizer has confirmed that their COVID jab is defs safe and effective for kids aged five to 11.

Before we get ahead of ourselves though, this does not mean that Pfizer is approved for five to 11-year-olds in Australia or is being rolled out just yet. It just means that Pfizer has found some pretty good results from testing.

Basically, Pfizer has said that their COVID jab induces a “robust” immune response in children aged five to 11.

From their Phase II/III clinical trial, they observed that the vaccine generated an immune response that matched what they had previously observed in the 16 to 25-year-old age group. They also found that the level of safety was comparable.

"Since July, paediatric cases of COVID-19 have risen by about 240 per cent in the US—underscoring the public health need for vaccination," Pfizer Chief Executive Albert Bourla said in a news release on Monday.

"These trial results provide a strong foundation for seeking authorisation of our vaccine for children five to 11 years old, and we plan to submit them to the FDA and other regulators with urgency."

So, from here, Pfizer is planning on asking for authorisation and approval to administer the jab to kids aged five to 11 in the US, Europe, and pretty much anywhere else around the world that is open to approval.

Two sources told Reuters that vaccine regulators, like the TGA in Australia, could determine whether the Pfizer jab is safe and effective in younger kids within as little as three weeks from submitting a request for authorisation, so approval could be right around the corner.

For now, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are the only COVID-19 immunisations that are available to anyone aged 12 to 17 in Australia, and there isn’t much news on school-based vaccination rollouts just yet.

📌 Book your 12 - 15 year-old in for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine through your local pharmacy here 👉 https://t.co/RwqJh5flqV

Children aged 12 - 15 require parental or guardian consent to receive a vaccine. More 👉 https://t.co/pKpQv0GGXY pic.twitter.com/lwog1Jyj0W

— NSW Health (@NSWHealth) September 20, 2021

If you’re someone that’s a bit older and you are eligible to get vaccinated, make sure you have a chat with your ‘rents or legal guardian and GP before booking your jab as you will need parental consent to go through with it.

Once you and your fam are all g with the jab, check out the government’s resources on COVID-19 vaccines, and book an appointment at your local vaccination clinic.

If you’re not sure about your eligibility just yet, you can find out and book in at a clinic here.

Header Image: CDC via Unsplash