(WSYM) — Pfizer has announced that its COVID-19 vaccine is highly effective in children aged 12 to 15. Clinical testing also found that the vaccine was well tolerated.
I love sharing great news. And according to Pfizer, their vaccine not only revved up teen’s immune systems but was also found to be 100% effective. Which is very impressive!
Now the company has not released too many details, but here’s what I can tell you. The phase 3 trial had just over 2,200 participants aged 12 to 15. There were split into two groups. One group was the placebo group and they got shots filled with saltwater. The other group got the vaccine. The dosing amount was the same as what an adult would get and was also given three weeks apart.
Now, there were 18 cases of COVID-19 among the placebo group. And zero cases among the group that received the vaccine. So this indicates that the vaccine was very protective.
There were no major safety problems found in the clinical trial. However, Pfizer does plan to follow the young teens for at least two years to collect more info.
As for side effects, they were consistent with what’s already been reported with adults. So fever, chills, fatigue, and pain where the shot was given.
Now, while the side-effects were similar to what most people can experience, the number of virus-fighting antibodies were not. In fact, they were much higher than what was seen in previous trials with participants aged 16 and 25. Which is amazing. And that robust antibody response was activated about a month following the second dose.
Right now, Pfizer’s vaccine is approved for people aged 16 and up. What they’d like to do is propose an amendment to that emergency use authorization to include anyone aged 12 and older. So if the FDA does grant approval, then it’s possible that sometime near the beginning of the academic school year, kids in middle and high school could start getting vaccinated.
Question: Tomorrow is opening day for the Detroit Tigers. Our first big event since the pandemic began. What are you concerned about and what would be your advice for people heading downtown?
Well, the capacity limit at Comerica Park is roughly 20% which means 8,000 fans for 42,000 seats. So there is a lot of open space. Plus tailgating is not allowed and bars and restaurants are operating at 50%. So it's good to see that there are coronavirus safety guidelines in place. And as long as people follow social distancing rules, wear masks, wash their hands, and the facility is disinfected, then I think this is very reasonable. And fans should be able to safely enjoy opening day.