Daily News Capsule

Pfizer and BioNTech have started covid-19 trials in children under 12, and are hoping for an expansion in covid vaccinations to that age by early 2022, the U.S drugmaker said on Thursday. 

The first volunteers in the early-stage trial were given their first injections on Wednesday, Pfizer spokesperson Sharon Castillo said. 

Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine was authorized by U.S regulators in late December for people above 16 years and above. According to the data from the U.S center for disease control and prevention, an account of 66 million doses of covid-19 vaccines have been administered in the united states on Wednesday morning March 24. 

The pediatric trial of the vaccine which will include young children as 6 months old is similar to the one launched by Moderna last week. 

Also, read| India holds on exports of covid-19 vaccines 

Only Pfizer and BioNTech are being used for the 16-17 years old in the U.S. while the Moderna shot is not cleared yet for 18 years old. No covid vaccines till now authorized for kids yet. 

Both the manufacturers planned to test the safety of two-dose vaccination at three different dosages- 10,20 and 30 micrograms in 144 participants. 

They are planning to later expand it to 4,500 participants for a late-stage trial when they will test the safety, tolerance, and immune response generated by the doses. In short, they will measure the antibody levels in the young participants.  

Meanwhile, Pfizer has been testing the vaccine in children from ages 12 to 15. The company expects to have data from that trial in the coming weeks, Castillo said.