The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the Pfizer and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for use in children and infants aged 6 months to 4 years. The UK MHRA has authorized the vaccine in the new age group after the agency found to meet the standards of safety, effectiveness, and quality, with no new identified safety concerns.
After a careful review of the evidence, decision has been endorsed by UK Commission and Human Medicines, after a careful review of the evidence. This new COVID-19 vaccine is specially designed for the new age group and given at a lower dose compared to the vaccines used in individuals aged 5 to 11 years.
In reaching the decision, the experts of the UK MHRA carefully reviewed data from an ongoing clinical trial involving 4,526 participants. The vaccine is given as three injections in the upper arm, with the first two doses given in three weeks period, followed by a third dose given at least 8 weeks after the second dose of the vaccine.
The common and expected side effects had been in-keeping with what can be anticipated from a COVID-19 vaccine the age group. The determination of the vaccine depends on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) if the vaccine will be recommended for use in the age group as part of the COVID-19 vaccination programme of UK.
