Pfizer Says Its Vaccine Is Highly Protective in Children 5 to 11

WASHINGTON — Pfizer reported long-awaited information connected Friday showing that its coronavirus vaccine had a 90.7 percent efficacy complaint successful preventing symptomatic Covid-19 successful a objective proceedings of 5- to 11-year-olds, a uncovering that whitethorn pb to the archetypal authorization of a vaccine to support young children from the virus.

The institution and its spouse BioNTech submitted the information to the Food and Drug Administration, which was expected to merchandise its ain investigation of the information connected Friday night. The findings could adhd momentum for F.D.A. authorization of the pediatric dose connected an exigency basis, possibly arsenic aboriginal arsenic adjacent week, opening a caller signifier of the nation’s vaccination campaign.

The agency’s autarkic committee of vaccine experts is acceptable to ballot Tuesday connected whether to urge authorization. If the F.D.A. rules successful favour and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its ain sheet of vaccine experts agree, the 28 cardinal children successful that property radical could go eligible for shots successful the archetypal week of November.

The Biden medication has been eagerly promoting the prospect, and galore parents are anxiously awaiting the development. Covid-19 cases among those younger than 18 peaked successful the archetypal week of September, erstwhile astir a 4th of a cardinal cases were reported.

But they stay high, with much than 130,000 cases reported successful the 2nd week of October, the American Academy of Pediatrics said, accounting for a 4th of each cases nationwide. Fewer than 2 percent of those cases resulted successful hospitalization, but that fig was based connected information from lone fractional the states, the enactment said.

Pfizer and BioNTech announced a period agone that their vaccine worked good for young children, but nary broad objective information was released publically until Friday. Children successful the proceedings received 2 doses of 10 micrograms — one-third of the big dose — 3 weeks apart. Researchers said that the dosage was safe, and that proceedings participants had seen lone mild broadside effects.

Of 2,268 children successful the trial, doubly arsenic galore were fixed the vaccine arsenic received a placebo. Sixteen children who received the placebo got Covid-19, compared with 3 who received the vaccine. All of the Covid cases occurred successful July oregon later, arsenic the highly transmissible Delta variant was spreading successful the United States and globally, according to the company.

Pfizer said it had follow-up information information for an further 2,250 children, but lone for a median of two-and-a-half weeks aft they received a 2nd dose.

There were nary cases successful the proceedings of terrible Covid, oregon of 2 uncommon bosom conditions that person been linked to the vaccine successful teenagers and adults, particularly young males. But it was apt not large capable to observe whether those peculiar conditions — myocarditis and pericarditis — mightiness look with immoderate frequence successful younger children.

Researchers looked astatine immune responses, comparing them with levels successful adults who had received the vaccine. Pfizer past deduced that the extortion afforded by the little dose successful children could beryllium arsenic important arsenic that afforded by the higher dose successful adults. That attack is peculiarly important successful tiny trials.

After the 2nd shot, the children had levels of neutralizing antibodies that were astatine slightest adjacent to those of 16-to-25-year-old volunteers successful different Pfizer-BioNTech trial. Although antibody levels are conscionable 1 measurement of the immune system’s response, experts person said specified a uncovering would bespeak that one-third of an big dose was the due dosage for young children.

Regulators and experts person linked the conditions of myocarditis, oregon inflammation of the bosom muscle, and pericarditis, oregon inflammation of the lining of the heart, to some the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, which are based connected akin technology. For men nether 20 who person 2 afloat doses of 1 of those vaccines, the complaint of myocarditis whitethorn transcend 100 cases per cardinal doses, according to data presented astatine a C.D.C. meeting connected Thursday.

Studies person shown that the hazard of processing those bosom problems from Covid-19 is higher than from vaccination. Still, immoderate countries have recommended a azygous dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children 12 and older, offering little extortion but perchance with a little hazard of broadside effects.

Experts volition astir surely rise concerns astir those broadside effects astatine the F.D.A. advisory committee meeting, according to Dr. H. Cody Meissner, a subordinate of the sheet and the main of the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases astatine Tufts Children’s Hospital successful Boston.

“I surely anticipation that we’re successful a presumption to to urge this due to the fact that radical are surely waiting for it, they’re anxious to person it,” helium said. “But our work is to equilibrium some hazard and benefit.”

Vaccine experts person said that Pfizer’s little dosing could mitigate risks.

Dr. Brian Feingold, an adept connected bosom inflammation successful children astatine the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, said that adjacent though Pfizer’s proceedings was small, the wide results were inactive worthy taking seriously.

“If you conscionable absorption connected myocarditis oregon different perchance uncommon things, you’re astir apt inactive going to beryllium near wanting much information,” helium said. “But if you absorption connected the information of the vaccine successful total, and the efficacy, you tin larn a lot.”

“We cannot see a hazard successful isolation,” helium added. “Risks from Covid request to beryllium considered erstwhile you marque a determination astir whether this vaccine has greater nett benefit.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which sets vaccine argumentation for the government, has scheduled a gathering of its advisory committee for Nov. 2 and 3 to see the issue. Federal officials person said they intend to vessel 15 cardinal doses to the states instantly if regulatory and wellness officials authorize the move. The needles that administer the vaccine and the vials that clasp it volition request to beryllium smaller for children who are inactive mostly successful simple school.

About 17 cardinal adolescents aged 12 to 15 became eligible for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine successful May. Vaccine manufacturers proceed to survey the anticipation of a vaccine for those aged six months to 5 years old.

Only astir 1 successful 3 parents of 5- to 11-year-olds planned to get their children inoculated “right away” erstwhile a vaccine is authorized, according to polling by the Kaiser Family Foundation conducted past month. Another 3rd said they wanted to “wait and see” however the vaccine affected children.

But that aforesaid polling showed that reluctance among parents of teenagers had dropped successful the months since vaccines became disposable to that property group.

Aina J. Khan contributed reporting from London.