The uncertainty regarding vaccinating young teens against COVID-19 may finally be over. This is extremely important, because they may not show symptoms but can still be infectious. Washington Post reported the vaccine by Pfizer-BioNTech effective for kids aged twelve to fifteen, on March 31, 2021. This was after the collaborating companies announced results of a trial of nearly 2,300 people in that age group.
But it’s Still Up to Food and Drug Administration to Confirm
America’s Food and Drug Administration will exercise the final say, as has always been the case. If things go well, they should approve the vaccine within the next couple weeks. And it could be available by next school year.
U.S. firm Pfizer and German company BioNTech have announced:
1… Their COVID vaccine was 100% effective during the trial
2… It was safe, and able to prevent symptomatic illnesses
3… The immune response was even more robust than in young adults
This is great news for parents aching for a new normalcy to return, and the family finally able to fully relax together again.
How the Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Effective for Kids Works
The Pfizer-BioNTech product is an mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine. This means it uses a synthetic messenger to train our immune system to repel the virus. It was the first vaccine the U.S. approved for emergency use, and then cleared for regular use too.
However, like all COVID vaccines, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine effective for kids aged twelve to fifteen does have side effects. Fairly common, minor ones include mild to moderate pain at the injection site, headache, and fatigue. Fortunately, more serious ones including allergic reactions are rare.
There is a risk in everything we do, from crossing a street to having a COVID-19 vaccination. These risks are arguably less serious than the over 550,000 U.S. citizens faced, who died from the disease we are trying to stop.
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Preview Image: US Soldier Holding Vaccine
