WEB DESK
Britain’s medicines regulator has approved the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech for use on 12 to 15 years old children, following similar clearances in the US and the EU.
Chief executive of UK Medicines and Healthcare products regulatory agency June Raine said that her agency has carefully reviewed the clinical trial data in children aged 12 to 15 years old. She said the regulator concluded that the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective in this age group and that the benefits of this vaccine outweigh any risk.
Now, it will be up to the country’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to decide whether to go ahead and inoculate the age group as part of Britain’s vaccination roll-out plan. Britain’s Health and Social Care department said it will provide an update once the JCVI takes a decision.
Children aged 12-15 are already receiving the Pfizer shot in the United States, while France and Germany are planning to start offering it to that age group this month.