/Health Canada approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged 12-15 – CityNews Toronto

Health Canada approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged 12-15 – CityNews Toronto

Health Canada has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 12 to 15 years old.

The vaccine was initially approved for use in those aged 16 and older in December, and Health Canada received an application from Pfizer to expand the age threshold on April 16 of this year.

“After completing a thorough and independent scientific review of the evidence, the department determined that this vaccine is safe and effective when used in this younger age group,” Health Canada’s chief medical adviser Dr. Supriya Sharma said on Wednesday.

A trial of more than 2,200 youth in that age group in the United States recorded no cases of COVID-19 among vaccinated kids. The trial used the same size doses, and the same two-doses requirement, as the vaccine for adults.

Sharma said the efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine for that age group was 100 per cent after the second dose.

“This is the first vaccine authorized in Canada for the prevention of COVID-19 in children and marks a significant milestone in Canada’s fight against the pandemic,” she said.

Sharma said about one-fifth of all cases of COVID-19 in Canada have occurred in children and teenagers, and having a vaccine for them is a critical part of Canada’s plan.

“While younger people are less likely to experience serious cases of COVID-19, having access to a safe and effective vaccine will help control the disease’s spread to their family and friends, some of whom may be at higher risk of complications,” she said.

Health Canada said Wednesday that the updated approval is effective immediately, so if provinces choose to, they could start giving the shot to kids as young as 12.

While now authorized for use for those aged 12-plus, Sharma notes trials are underway from numerous drug-makers to have COVID-19 vaccines approved for children as young as six months.

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said Wednesday the company expects to have data on trials in kids between two and 11 years old in time to apply for authorization in the United States in September.

The company has generally applied to Canada for approval around the same time but in this case Canada is ahead of the U.S. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration expects to authorize the vaccine for 12 to 15 year olds next week.

More than a third of Canadians have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and Canada is on track to receive at least 10 million vaccines this month alone.

With files from Cormac Mac Sweeney