Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and BioNTech announced today, that phase two of its three-phased vaccine trial, has shown that its COVID-19 vaccine was safe for children aged 5 to 11. They say, the vaccine was well-tolerated and generated a robust antibody response in this age group.
The companies are now planning to submit this data to the US Food and Drug Administration as well as the European Medicines Agency and other regulators around the world.
The two-dose Pfizer regimen is a smaller dose, compared to the dosage used in children 12 years and older.
The trial included more than 2 200 participants aged 5 to 11, vaccinated 21 days apart, Pfizer Chairperson Albert Bourla said.
Over the past nine months, hundreds of millions of people ages 12 and older from around the world have received their COVID-19 vaccine.
Pediatricians support the move to vaccinate children.
He said the company is now eager to extend the protection afforded by the vaccine to this younger population.
![[File Image]: A nurse at one of South Africa's hospital during the height of the coronavirus pandemic.](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/HOSPITAL.jpg)
![[File image] Police tape marks off a crime scene.](https://www.sabcnews.com/sabcnews/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/police-line-2-1-750x423-1-120x86.jpg)
