The European Medicines Agency approved the use of Pfizer and BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11 on Thursday, paving the way for countries to expand access to the shot as the bloc struggles to contain a new wave of infections.
The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine was authorized by theEMA.
The pool is via a photo.
The benefits of vaccination in young children outweigh the risks, particularly in those with conditions that increase the risk of severe Covid-19, according to the agency.
The agency said that the shots were effective at preventing Covid-19 in people ages 12 and up.
The most common side effects were injection site pain, chills, and headaches, and they were usually mild or moderate.
The European Commission must approve the recommendation. According to an EU source, a decision is likely to be made on Friday.
The quote is crucial.
The BioNTech-Pfizer vaccine is safe and effective for young children, and can offer them additional protection, according to the EU health commissioner.
The key background.
More and more countries are clearing Covid-19 vaccines for use in young children. The shot was recommended by the U.S. regulators in late October and early November. Young children have a lower chance of dying from Covid-19 than adults, but they can still develop life threatening illnesses and develop long-term symptoms after infections. The World Health Organization initially opposed the practice of wealthy countries donating vaccine doses to poorer countries before giving them to high-risk children, but changed its stance Wednesday, offering limited support for the practice under certain circumstances. Reducing transmission to other higher-risk groups could be achieved by vaccinating children. The WHO said that the global sharing of vaccines should still come first.
Polls suggest that many parents won't let their child get the shot.
Pfizer's Covid vaccine is recommended by the FDA Advisory Committee.
The World Health Organization predicts European virus deaths will pass 2.2 million by March.
Coverage and live updates on the coronaviruses.
