booster shot of covid vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech raised the level of neutralizing antibodies against both original version of virus and Omicron variant in a small trial of children from 5 to 11 years old, companies announced on Thursday.
If the claims of companies of strong immune response pass collect with federal regulators, government can expand rights for booster doses include 28 mln. more children.
The Pfizer and BioNTech study described by the companies in briefly news release included 140 children who got a booster dose six months after they second fired.
children showed a sixfold increase in antibody levels against in original version of virus one month after receiving revaccination, compared with one month after receiving second dose. Laboratory tests of 30 blood samples also showed 36 times level of neutralizing antibodies against Omicron variant compared with levels after two doses, according to news release and a Pfizer spokesperson.
The companies said they would contact the Food and Drug Administration. for emergency clearance of booster dose for 5- to 11-year-old “in coming days.” The agency usually acted within a month of receiving such requests.
Currently all 12 and over in The United States has the right for at least one booster dose and about 30 mln. people aged 50 and over are eligible for a second one. Studies show that 5 to 11year-olds can be especially in need of booster dose.
Researchers in New York State recently found so far two shots of Pfizer vaccine protected children in this age group from serious diseases they practically did not render protection against symptomatic infection, even just one month after full immunization.
companies announcement comes like occasions again tick up a little after two months of sustained downturns. The rise was especially noticeable in northeast, where sub-option BA.2 currently dominates version of virus in United States, first took Keep.
Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, President Biden’s chief medical adviser, warned: in recent days that the country may experience significant growth in infections over in next few weeks. But he said the bets of hospitalization is unlikely rise in tandem because so many Americans have degrees of immunity, both from vaccines and from previous infections.
Several hundred children died between the ages of 5 and 11 of Covid since the beginning of the pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease control and prevention, but pediatric vaccinations hard sell for many parents. Total about 28 percent of children in this age group have received two doses and will be eligible for booster shot. Approximately 7 percent got just one dose, agency data shows.
There was an initial impulse for shots after they were first proposed for this age group in November but increase in graft rate then slowed to a crawl. in past month, for For example, it rose by one percentage point.
share of children 5 to 11 years old with at least one the dose varies greatly depending on the region, according to a study by the Kaiser Family Foundation. 5 of top 10 states with in highest vaccination rates were in New England and eight out of 10 states with the lowest rates were in south.
Even in spite of more More than 250 million Americans have been safely vaccinated since the start of the pandemic, according to many pediatricians. parents fear unknown effects for them children. Compared with shots for defense against measles, mumps and other diseases that have been around for For decades, Covid vaccines have been brand-new.
A study conducted by scientists from New York, posted online in end of February found that for children ages 5 to 11 Pfizer vaccine effectiveness against infection dropped to 12 percent from 68 percent within 28-34 days after second dose.
it was tougher decline how for older teenagers and teenagers who received a much stronger dose. Some experts have suggested that the difference in dosage explained the gap in protection, while others blamed the Omicron variant that prevailed during the study.
Another CDC study found that two doses of the pfizer vaccine reduced in risk of Infection with Omicron from 31 percent among people aged 5 to 11 years, compared with 59 percent decline in risk among people aged 12 to 15 years.
The Pfizer vaccine is the only one so far. one authorized for minors of eighteen.
