Fourteen-year-old Jack Lane became one of the first to benefit from the extension of Britain's jab rollout today. He received his vaccination at Belfairs Academy in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
Pfizer will push for its Covid vaccine to be approved for children as young as five, the company announced today — as Britain began injecting healthy 12 to 15-year-olds with the jab for the first time.
The pharmaceutical giant said its trial of around 2,000 children aged five to 11 found a low dose of the vaccine generated a strong immune response and threw up no safety concerns.
American officials are set to review the data in the coming weeks and decide whether to roll out the vaccine to pre-teens in October, with Pfizer also planning to seek authorisation in Europe and elsewhere.
Pfizer's trial looked at antibody levels in the blood of primary school-aged children to estimate their immune response, unlike larger trials of older participants which compared Covid cases in the vaccine and groups.
A spokesperson said the companies may later disclose vaccine efficacy from the trial but there had not been enough infections yet among the volunteers.
While the US is expected to open the vaccination programme to younger age groups, the jab is unlikely to be approved for five to 11-year-olds in the UK, which only today started immunising healthy children.
A single dose of Pfizer's vaccine is being used on Britons aged 12 to 15 in the hope that the roll-out will prevent further disruptions to their education, even though the health benefits are only 'marginal'.
Parental consent is being sought but children can overrule parents who do not want them to get the jab if deemed 'competent', in a move that has caused controversy. More than 3million under-16s are eligible for the vaccines and ministers expect at least 60 per cent to take up the offer.
Jack Lane, 14, was one of the first to be vaccinated in England, as part of the extended rollout. After having his vaccine in Leigh-On-Sea this morning Jack said: 'I am proud to have had my vaccination so that I can remain in school and continue in my education - the jab was quick, easy, and painless.'
Fifteen-year-old Quinn Foakes receiving a Covid-19 vaccination at Belfairs Academy in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex
Earlier this month the JCVI said it could not recommend Covid jabs for healthy 12 to 15-year-olds because the direct benefit to their health was only marginal. It also looked at the risk of health inflammation - known as myocarditis - in young people
