Health Minister Greg Hunt on Tuesday invited Pfizer to seek approval from Australia’s medical regulator to have its vaccine trial approved for children aged five to 11.
In a letter to Pfizer’s Australia and New Zealand managing director, Hunt suggested the jab manufacturer should apply to the Therapeutic Goods Administration in parallel with its U.S application.
“I am heartened by your advice that trials of the Pfizer vaccine are showing promise in children under the age of 12 years of age,” Hunt wrote.
“Should the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation also approve vaccination of this age cohort, vaccination would commence as a priority.”
If regulators gave the green light, it would be possible for younger children to be vaccinated this year, Chief Nursing Officer Alison McMillan said.
On Monday, Pfizer announced its first result from a pivotal trial of the COVID-19 vaccine in 2,268 participants aged five to 11.
The vaccine manufacturer reported that young children have “robust neutralizing antibody responses” and “strong immune response” one month after the second dose, but noted that “the vaccine may not protect everyone.”
Benefits vs Risks
However, some experts have questioned whether the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines would outweigh the risks for kids, given the high rate of adverse events in those vaccinated and the mounting evidence that children are substantially less likely to develop a severe illness or die from COVID-19 than adults, which has been shown by several large U.K. studies.
As of Sept. 21, children aged 0-9 account for around just 11 percent of all COVID-19 cases in Australia while those aged 10-19 make up 13.4 percent, with no deaths reported in children younger than 10.
