COVID-19: Pfizer-BioNTech seek vaccine OK for children

Employees work in the production of BioNTech/Pfizer’s Comirnaty vaccine at Allergopharma’s production facilities in Reinbek, Germany. Pic/AP

Pfizer and BioNTech have submitted a request for European Union drug regulators to extend the approval of the companies' novel Coronavirus vaccine to include children ages 12 to 15, a move that could offer younger and less at-risk populations in Europe access to the shots for the first time.

In a statement on Friday, the two companies said their submission to the European Medicines Agency was based on an advanced study in more than 2,000 adolescents that showed the vaccine to be safe and effective. The children will continue to be monitored for longer-term protection and safety for another two years. BioNTech and Pfizer previously had requested their emergency use authorisation with the US Food and Drug Administration also be extended to children 12-15.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn welcomed the news that the vaccine might soon get the green light for older children. "This can make a further real difference to our vaccine campaign, if approval is granted," he said on the sidelines of a visit to a vaccine manufacturing plant in the German town of Reinbek.

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Hong Kong health adviser warns of a fifth COVID-19 wave

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Brazil tops 400,000 virus deaths

Brazil has became the second country to officially top 400,000 COVID-19 deaths, losing another 100,000 lives in just one month, as some health experts warn there may be gruesome days ahead when the Southern Hemisphere enters winter.

6,92,879
No. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours

149,910,744
Total no. of cases worldwide

3,155,168
Total no. of deaths worldwide

Source: WHO/Johns Hopkins

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