The difference of Covid-19 vaccine for children 5-11 years old
The Pfizer vaccine for children has a lower dose and a different colored vial than the vaccine for adults.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering licensingCovid-19 vaccinefor children aged 5 to 11. On October 27, the FDA Advisory Committee supported the approval of the Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11.
On November 2-3, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will meet to discuss this issue. After that, the CDC Director will make a final decision on the vaccination plan for the above group of children.
What is the difference between vaccines for children and adults?
The children's vaccine is the same as the adult vaccine but at a lower dose. Accordingly, Pfizer proposed licensing a dose of the children's vaccine at 10 micrograms, which is one-third the dose for people aged 12 and older. Children also need to be vaccinated with two doses, three weeks apart.
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| The Covid-19 vaccine comes in an orange vial. |
According to Syracuse University epidemiologist Brittany Kmush, the dosage is based on age, not weight. “Vaccines are different from medications and are more related to the maturation of the immune system than weight or metabolism,” Kmush said.
Vaccines for children aged 5-11 years will come in vials with orange caps while those for people aged 12 years and older will come in vials with blue caps.
Safety and effectiveness
Scientists at Pfizer conducted a clinical trial with 4,500 children, of whom 3,500 were vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine. Common side effects included fever, headache and chills, but they were less frequent and milder than in children aged 12 to 15.
Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been linked to rare cases of myocarditis, especially in young men.
However, Pfizer said the rate of myocarditis in the 5-11 age group was likely lower than in 12-15 year olds vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine partly due to the lower dose.
Pfizer said its Covid-19 vaccine produced a strong immune response in children aged 5 to 11 in clinical trials. It was 90.7% effective against Covid-19.
Childhood vaccination is a public health measure to prevent infectious diseases, even those that do not have high mortality or hospitalization rates. Younger age groups in the United States are vaccinated against diseases with similar or lower risks, such as hepatitis A, chickenpox, rubella, and rotavirus diarrhea.