Pfizer to seek USFDA nod for COVID booster for healthy 5- to 11-year-olds
The Pfizer shots are the only vaccine available to US children.;
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New York: Pfizer said Thursday it wants to expand its COVID-19 booster shots to healthy elementary-age kids. US health authorities already urge everyone 12 and older to get one booster dose for the best protection against the newest variants -- and recently gave the option of a second booster to those 50 and older.
Now Pfizer says new data shows healthy 5- to 11-year-olds could benefit from another kid-sized shot.
In a small study, 140 youngsters who'd already gotten two shots were given a booster six months later, and researchers found the extra shot generally revved up their immune response. But a closer look at 30 of the children found a 36-fold increase in virus-fighting antibodies, levels high enough to fight the super-contagious omicron variant, Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said in a press release.
The data has not been published or vetted by independent experts.
Read also: Pfizer to send 7 lakh units of COVID drug Paxlovid to Taiwan
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