Pfizer may start rolling out COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 by October after tests revealed that it works well with this age range.
The vaccine brand is also in discussions with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure the safety, efficacy, and security of the COVID-19 vaccine for the youth.
According to CNN, even though some adults also got Pfizer for their vaccine, their dose is different from what children ages 5 to 11 will bring.
During their tests, Pfizer learned that children would need lower doses of the COVID-19 vaccine because they have a more robust immune system compared to adults.
So, children under the age of 12 will most likely receive a 10-microgram dose of the vaccine, while adults 18 and older typically receive a 30-microgram dose.
Pfizer's COVID-19 dosage will be different for kids and adults
Dr. Robert Frenck, who leads the vaccine trials at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital, said some adults might also get lower than 30-microgram doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"We found in 18- to 55-year-olds, a 10-microgram dose gives a very good immune response. But the 65 and above, they did not respond as well to the lower doses and so that's why we chose that 30-microgram dose, across the adult age range from 18 to above," Frenck stated.
Frenck also said that Pfizer seems to be very safe in younger children. And the side effects that they may experience are also similar to what their adult counterparts had after getting the jab.
The most common side effects include headache and fatigue, and these lasted a day or two. Fevers and chills were recorded as unusual side effects from the vaccine since only 10 to 11 percent of children experienced these symptoms.
Are there risks for children to suffer from myocarditis?
However, parents of young children are worried about reports of a rare heart inflammation called myocarditis. Some kids the got the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines experienced this concerning side effect.
But Frenck insisted that the likelihood of a child getting myocarditis is very minimal.
"Rare meaning in the likelihood of a few per 100,000, so it's still like a 99.999% chance that this won't happen. It's been almost all in teenage boys, and it's been mild treated with Motrin (ibuprofen), and they've gotten better," he said.
Earlier this month, the United States health officials authorized Pfizer's COVID-19 for use among children aged 5 to 11 years old. However, the FDA will still have the final say as to whether the vaccine is indeed safe for children, according to Reuters.
Moderna claims COVID-19 vaccine is safe for children aged 12 to 17
Other than Pfizer, Moderna is also expanding its study to confirm whether its COVID-19 vaccine is safe for use among kids aged 5 to 11 years old.
In May, Moderna claimed that their COVID-19 vaccine is safe for use among children aged 12 to 17.
The company looked for milder cases of COVID-19 as part of their study. And they found out that their vaccine is 93 percent effective against any infection.
"We are encouraged [that the vaccine] was highly effective at preventing COVID-19 in adolescents. It is particularly exciting to see that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection," Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement via NBC News.
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