– This is good news. Very good, says head of the vaccine program at FHI Geir Bukholm to NTB.
A new study of the Pfizer / Biontech vaccine performed on children and adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 in the United States, found that none of the vaccinated children became ill with coronavirus.
The Phase 3 study demonstrates 100 percent efficiency and robust antibody responses, the manufacturers stated in an announcement on Wednesday.
Will vaccinate children before the school year
2,260 children participated in the study.
The Pfizer vaccine is currently approved for people aged 16 and up.
The manufacturer now hopes that the US Food and Drug Administration FDA will approve the vaccine for use in children and adolescents over the age of twelve before the start of the next school year.
– We plan to present our findings to the FDA as a supplement to the emergency approval we have received over the next few weeks, as well as other drug inspections in other countries, sformer Pfizer boss Albert Bourla.
May take months to get approval
The company announces that it will also apply for the vaccine to be approved for children up to the age of twelve in Europe.
In Europe, Pfizer-Biontech must apply for approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) before the vaccine can be used in children.
The process can take one to two months, according to Geir Bukholm. Thereafter, the Norwegian Medicines Agency will approve the vaccine.
– Then children up to the age of 12 will become a group that we will eventually consider including in the vaccination program, he says.
Worldwide, vaccination against corona has been targeted at adults, but to stop the pandemic, it is necessary to vaccinate children as well.
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