The European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced its scientific opinion on Friday and approved the use of the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine in adolescents between 12 and 15 years old. In this way it becomes the first injection against Covid-19 that has been approved for use in children under 16 years of age in the European Union, according to EFE.
“The vaccine is very well tolerated by adolescents and the possible side effects are similar to those seen in other age groups,” explained the EMA in his appearance. The authorization is the same as for the rest, with two doses“, has announced the organism.
On May 3, the EMA had begun to evaluate the request of the pharmaceutical companies to include minors between 12 and 15 years of age in the vaccination with their preparation against Covid, a option that has been authorized in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration.
The Amsterdam-based agency has carried out an “accelerated assessment of company-submitted data,” including data from a “large clinical trial in adolescents” over 12 years of age that has shown that the vaccine is 100% effective in this age group, as reported.
In a joint statement, the pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech have explained that they have tested their formula against the coronavirus in 2,260 adolescents in phase III and that, as they had announced at the end of March, the effectiveness of the vaccine has been 100% and with a “solid” immune response. In testing, they added, the vaccine was “generally well tolerated.”
The Minister of Health, Carolina Darias, has announced that next week a new record will be broken in the arrival of 4.6 million doses of vaccines. The Community of Madrid and Galicia have ignored the prudence requested by the Government and they will prioritize the AstraZeneca vaccine as a second dose for those under the age of 60 who have received a first dose.
On the other hand, Germany has anticipated the EMA and has announced that as of June 7, the Pfizer vaccines will be offered to adolescents 12 years of age and older. Minors will be able to request a vaccination appointment after the planned end of the priority groups. In addition, they will request the vaccine from family doctors or vaccination centers, as announced by Chancellor Angela Merkel.
