Posted: Fri 4th Jun 2021

UK approves Pfizer Covid vaccine for use in 12-15-year-olds

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales
This article is old - Published: Friday, Jun 4th, 2021

The UK has approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children aged 12-15. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The move follows “a rigorous review of the safety, quality and effectiveness of the vaccine in this age group” the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has said. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Last month first minister Mark Drakeford said children as young as 12 in Wales could be given a Coronavirus vaccination later this year. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Dr June Raine, MHRA Chief Executive said: “We have carefully reviewed clinical trial data in children aged 12 to 15 years and have concluded that the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective in this age group and that the benefits of this vaccine outweigh any risk. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“We have in place a comprehensive safety surveillance strategy for monitoring the safety of all UK-approved COVID-19 vaccines and this surveillance will include the 12- to 15-year age group. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“No extension to an authorisation would be approved unless the expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness have been met. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It will now be for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to advise on whether this age group will be vaccinated as part of the deployment programme.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Professor Sir Munir Pirmohamed, Chair of the Commission on Human Medicines said: “Over 2000 children aged 12-15 years were studied as part of the randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trials.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“There were no cases of COVID-19 from 7 days after the second dose in the vaccinated group, compared with 16 cases in the placebo group.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“In addition, data on neutralising antibodies showed the vaccine working at the same level as seen in adults aged 16-25 years. These are extremely positive results.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Speaking in May, Mark Drakeford a move to vaccinate secondary school children“might allow us” to lift some of the current restrictions in place in schools such as the wearing of masks. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

He said: “We`re watching that very carefully and if there is a vaccine that gets that licence for use here in Wales, then I think we are very likely to want to take advantage of that.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“It may be later this year that we will be able to have a programme in our secondary schools of offering those young people a vaccination, which would make schools even safer than they are now.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

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