Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) announced Thursday that it has requested emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration for its Covid-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11. If granted, it would be the first Covid-19 vaccine for children of that age group. The company\u2019s vaccine is currently approved for people over the age of 16 and has an EUA for those ages 12 to 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many parents are anxiously awaiting the vaccine for their children as the delta variant continues to spread. Pfizer released data last month showing that a two-dose shot of 10 micrograms is safe and created a \u201crobust\u201d immune response within children in the clinical trial. The pharmaceutical said that the shots ultimately produced a similar immune response and side effects to those witnessed in the study with people ages 16 to 25. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, common side effects in teens and adults include fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FDA officials had revealed that once vaccine data for younger children was submitted, the agency would be able to authorize it in just a couple of weeks and not months. However, the authorization would depend on the timing and quality of the data turned in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n