Pfizer-BioNTech is postponing its rolling application to the Food and Drug Administration to expand the use of its two-dose COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 6 months to 4 years, NBC News reports.
The move means that vaccines for this age group will not be available in the coming weeks, a setback for parents eager to vaccinate their young children.
Pfizer said in December that two doses didn’t generate a strong enough immune response in its trial of children ages 2 to 4. For young children, Pfizer’s vaccine has a dosage of 3 micrograms. For children ages 5 to 11, the dosage is higher, at 10 micrograms.
Still, the company asked the FDA earlier this month to authorize these first two doses, with a plan to submit additional data in the coming weeks on a third dose. On Friday, Pfizer said it will wait for its data on a three-dose series because it believes three doses “may provide a higher level of protection in this age group.”
Read the full story on NBCNews.com
