Pfizer announced Wednesday that its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and strongly protects children as young as 12. The news may lead to vaccinating that age group before they return to school in the autumn. Most COVID-19 vaccines available are for adults, who are at higher risk from the coronavirus. Pfizer’s vaccine is approved for children ages 16 and older. But vaccinating children of all ages might be important to stopping the spread of the coronavirus. In a study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15, early results showed there were no cases of COVID-19 among those fully vaccinated. There were 18 cases of coronavirus infection among those given a placebo, Pfizer reported. The study was small and has not yet been published. However, researchers reported high levels of antibodies, somewhat higher than were seen in studies of young adults. The children had side effects that were similar to those of young adults, the company said. The main side effects are pain, high temperature, chills and tiredness, especially after the second injection. The study will continue to follow the children for two years for more information about protection and safety.
