Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine was recommended by the European Union's drug regulator for children between the ages of five and 11.
The European Medicines Agency recommends that Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine be given in two 10-microgram doses three weeks apart as an injection in the upper arm. The vaccine contains 30 micrograms.
The European Commission usually follows the recommendations of the EMA.
The vaccine has been approved in the EU for people aged 16 and up since December 2020 and for young people between 12 and 15 years old since May of this year.
Europe is once again the epicenter of the Pandemic, accounting for half of new cases and deaths.
The vaccine Comirnaty showed 90.7% efficacy in a clinical trial of children, according to the companies.
The benefits of Comirnaty outweigh the risks in children aged 5 to 11.
The BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective for young children, and can offer them additional protection, according to the EU health commissioner.
The shots will not be available to young children until next month. A spokeswoman for BioNTech said that the first low-dose version will be delivered on December 20.
The EU is one of a growing number of countries that have cleared vaccines for children under the age of 11.
Millions of children in this age group will be eligible for the shot in the EU. The first shipment of vaccine will be enough to inoculate half of the country's children.
The vaccine can be stored in fridges for up to 10 weeks, thanks to a new version that uses a buffer.
