Stat News | 29 Oct 2021
The FDA granted emergency use authorization to the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 Friday, a step in making the vaccine available to millions of school-age children. Before the vaccine becomes widely available, it will also need to be recommended by the CDC.
The decision on that recommendation is made after a meeting of an expert committee, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP. The CDC director must then approve ACIP’s recommendations. That committee is scheduled to meet on Nov. 2.
The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine for children 5 to 11 should be given as two doses three weeks apart, just like the version for older children and adults, but uses a lower 10-microgram dose, one-third the adult dose.
