Pfizer’s Covid-19 Vaccine Receives FDA Approval for Adolescents 12 to 15

Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine protects kids between the ages of 12 and 15, as it receives approval from the Food and Drug Administration. The Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) was announced on May 10, marking a significant advance in the nationwide campaign to immunize every individual.

Pfizer claims that the vaccine was 100% successful in preventing COVID-19 infection in clinical studies involving 2,260 children and adolescents aged 12 to 15 years old, and that the vaccination was “highly tolerated” by its users. Outside of what one may expect from aging, no serious adverse effects occurred.

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The CDC is scheduled to meet on Wednesday to discuss the launch, however they have not yet announced specifics about the distribution. Immunizing children before they return to school in the autumn is a top priority.

Parents all throughout the country must now decide whether or not to vaccinate their adolescents now that the vaccine is readily available. Making the right choice isn’t always simple. Our goal in this article is to simplify the situation so that you have all the information you require.

Is There Any Proof That This Vaccine Is Safe?

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Just to cut to the chase, sure. To ensure the safety of the trial’s participants, the children were closely monitored by medical staff for many days after receiving their doses.

For the next two years, Pfizer plans to monitor study participants. It’s not something parents should consider while debating whether or not to vaccinate their adolescents. Almost all vaccine-related side effects tend to manifest during the first month. And if we haven’t seen any change in the adults after a month, we certainly won’t see it in the children. Adults who have received the vaccine show that the potential dangers are much fewer than the potential risks of developing COVID-19.

How Successful Is the Vaccine?

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Upon receiving the second dosage, Pfizer claims the vaccination is 100% effective against COVID-19 for one full month. Two doses of the vaccine, spaced about 21 days apart, will be necessary for adolescents, just as they are for adults.

During the course of the study, no children who had been given the vaccine got COVID-19, while the placebo group reported 18 new cases. Additionally, researchers discovered that children between the ages of 12 and 15 had a more robust immune response than adolescents and young adults between the ages of 16 and 25.

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Children’s immune systems are often in better shape than adults, which contributes to a stronger immune response. A person causes themselves a lot of harm as they age. We partake in vices such as smoking, drinking, poor sleep habits, stress, and excessive weight. Children do not seem to have these underlying co-morbidities. And as a result, each and every component of their immune system is more advanced, efficient, and quick.

Pfizer hasn’t said how long they anticipate protection to persist in teenagers, but kids have stronger immune systems, so they may be protected for longer than adults.

When Should Children Get the COVID-19 Shot?

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Why should children be vaccinated against COVID if they have such a low risk of contracting the disease and such a strong immune system? For the sake of their vulnerable family members, that is the quick answer. The data from the United States has looked at COVID deaths and traced instances back to their origins.

When considering all ages together, 2.7% of fatal illnesses in adults were transmitted from children ages 0 to 9, 7.1% from children ages 10 to 19, and 34% from adults ages 20 to 34. As a result, if we do not vaccinate those aged 12 and up and do a better job with young adults, we will be unable to successfully turn off the faucet for 41% of those infectious diseases that cause death.

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It’s for this reason that we administer vaccinations. We are vaccinating each child and their extended family members. None of these twelve-year-olds are on their own. As such, they are also part of a family unit that we must safeguard because of where they are currently residing.

What Should Young People Anticipate Following Vaccination?

Effects were the same in 12- to 15-year-olds as they were in the 16- to 25-year-old age range. It’s possible that the vaccine could cause these side effects in some people:

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  • Injection site pain.
  • Fatigue.
  • Headache.
  • Sore muscles.
  • Chills.
  • Hurting joints.
  • Fever.
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  • Puffiness at the injection site.
  • Reddening at the injection site.
  • Nausea.
  • Malaise.
  • Lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes) (swollen lymph nodes).

In most cases, relaxation and hydration will alleviate any unwanted effects.

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The medical profession is divided on the ethics of disguising after immunization. Nachman advises adults and young people to exercise common sense. When among a large group of individuals you don’t know, it’s still a good idea to wear a mask. Outside in the open or in a room full of other vaccinated persons, it is usually safe to remove the mask.

Information on how much virus vaccinated people carry on themselves if exposed to the virus is still being compiled, so if you’re worried about asymptomatically carrying the virus after vaccination, don’t panic just yet. Most of the studies are showing promising results, suggesting that vaccination significantly reduces the risk of infection following exposure. You probably won’t spread it even if you get infected.

Who Among the Youth Will Be the First to Receive the Vaccine?

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It is unlikely that teenagers will receive the same level of attention as adults at this time. Vaccine accessibility played a larger role in this.

Vaccine production has grown, so it’s possible that any adolescent can get vaccinated if they choose to. Prior to the 2021-2022 school year, states will have the option of giving middle school students more time to get vaccinated.

What About the Very Young?

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Pfizer has just started testing on infants and toddlers. The ages 2–5 and under 2 years old will be tested after the 5–11 year olds. Vaccination for younger children is expected to become available after these studies are finished, probably around September 2021.

Pfizer’s clinical trials enrolled both healthy children and children with chronic disorders like asthma, diabetes, and others.

This means that adolescents with preexisting problems should have the same access to the vaccine as their healthy peers. However, you should always seek advice from your kid’s doctor because he or she knows the child best and may provide recommendations customized to the child’s individual needs.