Pfizer vaccine is less effective against infection for kids 5-11, study says : NPR

A medical employees member prepares a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up website for school-aged folks in New York Metropolis final October.

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Pictures

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Michael M. Santiago/Getty Pictures

A medical employees member prepares a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up website for school-aged folks in New York Metropolis final October.

Michael M. Santiago/Getty Pictures

The low-dose model of the Pfizer-BioNtech seems to be a lot much less efficient at defending younger kids in opposition to an infection than the higher-dose model of the vaccine given to older kids and adults, a brand new examine exhibits.

In all circumstances, the vaccine proved to offer robust safety in opposition to getting critically ailing. The preprint examine checked out information collected from greater than 1.2 million absolutely vaccinated kids and adolescents between the ages of 5 and 17 from Dec. 13 to Jan. 30.

Researchers from the New York State Division of Well being discovered the power of the vaccine to guard kids from catching the virus who obtained the bottom dose – youngsters ages 5 to 11 – dropped essentially the most, falling from 68% to simply 12%. These kids obtained and injection containing simply 10 mg, one-third of the dose given to older kids and adolescents and adults.

In the meantime, the effectiveness in kids ages 12 to 17, who obtained the identical 30 mg dose as adults, confirmed a smaller decline, dropping from 66% to 51%.

“These outcomes spotlight the potential want to check different vaccine dosing for youngsters and the continued significance layered protections, together with masks sporting, to stop an infection and transmission,” the examine said.

The outcomes of the examine come simply days after the CDC eased masking pointers in lots of components of the nation, and the identical day a number of college districts, together with New York Metropolis – the most important within the nation – introduced scholar masks mandates would quickly be lifted.

It additionally follows an surprising delay within the approval course of for an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in kids 6 months via 4 years of age. The corporate mentioned new information emerged, and the Meals and Drug Administration mentioned it wanted extra time to guage it.

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