Pfizer asks FDA to approve vaccines for kids aged 5 to 11

Pfizer said Thursday it has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize its Covid-19 vaccine for kids aged 5 to 11.

The news couldn’t come any sooner for parents keen to get their children vaccinated as kids start the new school year with the delta variant surging across America. The strain has led to a surge in hospitalizations, including young kids who are currently ineligible to get vaccinated.

Last month, Pfizer released new data that showed a two-dose regimen of 10 micrograms — a third of the dosage used for teens and adults – is safe and generates a “robust” immune response in a clinical trial of young children.

Common side effects for teens and adults include fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever and nausea, according to medical authorities.

Even if Pfizer’s request is granted, the shots may not be available until around November if the FDA spends as much time reviewing the data for that age group as it did for 12- to 15-year-olds.