Pfizer says its coronavirus vaccine could be available for children ages 5 to 11 by Halloween if all goes well with the Food and Drug Administration’s data review process.
Pfizer officials said they will submit data for that age group to the FDA by the end of September, CNBC reported. The drugmaker released trial data Monday showing that its vaccine is safe and creates a “robust” antibody response in 5- to 11-year-olds.
The two-dose vaccine currently is approved for those ages 12 and up.
Former FDA Commissioner Mark McClellan said the Halloween target date is attainable.
“Those findings are very promising, especially around the ability of a very small dose, leading to a very strong immune reaction,” McClellan, who served under President George W. Bush and is now a health expert at Duke University, told CNBC’s Shepard Smith. “So, it is good that that’s panning out and action by the FDA in a month seems very feasible.”
The American Academy of Pediatrics says children currently account for nearly 30% of all new U.S. COVID-19 infections, up from 15% in January, CNBC reported.