Report says Health Canada poised to approve Pfizer vaccine for kids

According to the Toronto Star, Health Canada is expected to approve Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged five to 11 on Friday.

On Oct. 18, the drug manufacturer asked Health Canada to approve its COVID vaccine for children in that age group. Currently, only those 12 and over are eligible to get immunized against the coronavirus in Canada.

The doses are about one-third the size given to those 12 and up.

Pfizer’s vaccine was given the green light for those between the ages of 12 and 15 in May, five months after it was approved for everyone aged 16 and up.

On Oct. 26, the Saskatchewan Health Authority unveiled its plan for vaccinating kids aged five to 11, revealing it had ordered 112,000 doses. The rollout of the plan was contingent on Health Canada approving the vaccine.

Dr. Tania Diener, the medical health officer responsible for immunization and physician co-lead of the SHA’s COVID immunization campaign, said at the time getting children vaccinated against COVID was part of Saskatchewan getting back to normal.

“It’s so important for kids to be part of a social environment in the education system (and) being part of extracurricular activities,” she said during a media conference. “It’s important for their emotional well-being but also their physical well-being.”

Children under the age of 11 continually represent the highest number of COVID cases reported daily in Saskatchewan. On Wednesday, for example, the province announced 149 new cases — and 44 of those were in the 0-to-11 age group.

In its daily COVID update Thursday, Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health said 13,424 children under the age of 11 had contracted the virus to date. The province has reported 79,937 cases so far.

The Pfizer vaccine already has been approved for use on children aged five to 11 in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the vaccine its stamp of approval on Nov. 2.