Even with the positive efficacy results, the shots are expected to have a very limited impact in the real world due to the small number of young children who have been vaccinated.
Pfizer announced on Tuesday that its COVID-19 vaccination for infants is 73% effective against symptomatic illness.
According to the business, additional data confirmed the efficacy initially reported for the three-dose series in children aged 6 months to 4 years.
“We are pleased to share confirmatory evidence that a full course of vaccination helps protect against symptomatic disease, particularly during a time when the Omicron BA.2 strain was predominant,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement.
Even with positive efficacy data, the shots are likely to have minimal impact in the real world, given the small number of young children vaccinated.
According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the percentage of young children who have gotten the shots is far behind any other age group.
As of August 18, less than 6% of children aged 2-4 and roughly 3% of children under two had received their first vaccination. Since June, vaccinations have been permitted for the age categories.
It’s not shocking that the numbers are so low. According to experts, the immunization process for this age group will be delayed.
According to a poll from Kaiser Family Foundation in July, 7% of parents of children ages 6 months through 4 years old reported that their child has been vaccinated against COVID-19 while 10% said they will get vaccinated “right away.”
Most parents answered they would either not have their children vaccinated or would only do so if it was mandatory.
Pfizer’s latest data comes only one day after the company announced that it had submitted for an emergency use authorization for its modified injection aimed to combat the omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 in people aged 12 and higher.
The business announced Tuesday that it is also working on an omicron-specific injection for young infants.
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