The number of cases related to the Delta variant have been surging in the US and other parts of the world. The new variant not only affects adults but has been prone to attack the immunity of children as well.
That's one of the main reasons why there is an alarming number of paediatric Covid-19 cases in the US.
This is a cause of concern the world over as kids remain vulnerable to the Covid-19 infection.
No wonder than parents are keeping a keen eye on vaccine approval for infants, which will not only help safeguard children but also curb Covid cases globally.
Fortunately there's some good news coming from pharmaceutical companies. Last week, Pfizer-BioNTech confirmed the company was close to approval of a vaccine for 5 to 11-year-olds.
The company suggested that the FDA could approve an emergency use authorisation as early as October this year. And now, the pharma giant says they have a timeline for kids from the age of six months and above.
Vaccine Approval For Infants: Not Too Far Now
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During the Morgan Stanley Global Healthcare Conference recently, Pfizer’s Chief Financial Officer Frank D’Amelio spokesperson said that the application for children between six-months-old and five-years-old isn’t too far behind the older kids' group.
The company say they expect to share the date with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for kids between five and 11 years by the end of September 2021.
Pfizer is hoping that the government body will grant an emergency use of the vaccine in October. Meanwhile, the data for kids between the age group of six month and five years old will be shared sometime in October with the FDA.
Speaking at the press conference, D'Amelio said, "The expectation is that the company will file the data to the FDA “in the weeks shortly thereafter the filing of the data for the 5 to the 11-year-olds … assuming all of the data is positive.”
At present, Pfizer has received full approval of the vaccine for kids above the age of 12 years. However, it awaits emergency use authorisation from the authorities.
The update though is the only sliver of hope for many parents concerned about their infant's wellbeing. More so, with the delta variant reigning havoc. Schools in the US have also begun in several states that further put children in a vulnerable position amidst the pandemic.
Of course, the actual timeline will massively vary depending on the data shared and the final call taken by the FDA, there is still hope for an end to these days.
Vaccine Approval For Infants, Kids And Adults
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At present, nearly all major pharmaceutical companies working on the vaccine have it ready for adults from 18 years to 70 years.
Meanwhile, Pfizer BioNTech is the only vaccine approved for kids above the age of 12 years. Johnson & Johnson, and Moderna will soon join the list.
However, they are yet to receive emergency authorisation to rollout the vaccine and begin the vaccination process.
For kids between the age group of 5-11 years, only Pfizer-BioNTech confirmed about a vaccine close to approval so far. We expect to learn more about it and its approvals sometime in October. And hopefully the rollout to different countries should begin by the end of the year.
Vaccine approval for infants is likely to happen in the final weeks of 2021. The rollout will only take place in 2022.
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