Pharma majors, Pfizer and BioNTech have recently requested the FDA to approve emergency use of their coronavirus vaccine for children aged between 5 to 11. If approved, the vaccine rollout could potentially protect more than 28 million people in the U.S.

The agency has assured to look into the request quickly and plans to hold a meeting on Oct. 26 to consider it.

According to the companies, they will be submitting the data to the FDA which will support this change.

Sources cite that a meeting of proficient advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been scheduled on Nov. 2 and 3. In most cases, the CDC's recommendations represent the federal government's last word on vaccination policy.

Pfizer claims that in the United States, COVID cases among the children are rising at pace, owing to which the requested approval at this point is needed as an effort against Covid-19.

Parents all across the country are waiting for the regulators' verdict, which may have ramifications for many elements of family life and school operations.

Incidentally, Pfizer's announcement came on the same day U.S. President Joe Biden traveled to Illinois to push businesses to mandate vaccine as part of the White House's campaign to reach the tens of millions of Americans who are still unvaccinated.

Mr. Biden stated last month that he would require workers at firms with more than 100 employees to be vaccinated; or tested every week.

Although Covid-19 rarely causes serious illness in children, the Delta veriant placed over 30,000 of them in hospitals in August.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the coronavirus has infected almost 5.9 million Americans under 18. About 125 of the nearly 500 Americans under the age of 18 who died were between 5 and 11.

Source Credit - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/07/us/politics/pfizer-fda-authorization-children-5-11.html