Vaccine recommended for 5-11 year olds

THE Therapeutic Goods Association has approved the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years and is expected to be available on January 10.

The TGA assessed a clinical trial of 2,500 children, of which 1,500 received the vaccine showed a 91 percent efficacy and no significant safety issues for the age group. 

The results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and the dose used is one-third of a standard adult dose.

There are approximately 2.3 million children in this age group in Australia.

The TGA has said while children in this age group do have much milder symptoms than adults, they can still contract, spread the disease and can have a rare inflammatory response to covid which is similar to long covid and impacts 1 in 3,000 children.

Approximately one fifth of covid cases have been in the 5 to 11 year old age group.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) will assess the timing for first and second doses. The TGA has recommended at least three weeks apart, however there is now evidence suggesting eight weeks may provide better protection.

There are 39.6 million Australian children aged between 12 and 15, of which 92.8 percent have received their first vaccination and 88 percent their second, in just 11 weeks.