Study Finds Pfizer Vaccine Less Effective In Kids 5 To 11-Years-Old

As more children across the country get a COVID-19 vaccine for the first time, a new study is looking at its effectiveness. The New York State Department of Health released findings from a study in December and January, which looked at newly vaccinated kids between the ages of 5 and 17.

Wednesday, March 2nd 2022, 6:15 pm



As more children across the country get a COVID-19 vaccine for the first time, a new study is looking at its effectiveness. The New York State Department of Health released findings from a study in December and January, which looked at newly vaccinated kids between the ages of 5 and 17.

One month after getting the Pfizer shot, the study showed that effectiveness against any COVID-19 infection dropped from 68-percent to just 12-percent in kids 5 to 11. For teenagers, the shot was 51-percent effective after a month.

"So it raised a number of questions," said Dr. Dale Bratzler, OU’s Chief COVID Officer.

Bratzler and other health leaders are looking at the study closely.

“The first question is, what is the interval between doses of the COVID vaccine we should be targeting,” said Bratzler. “The second thing is, is the dose correct? Remember for kids 5 to 11, they get 1/3rd of the dose as an adult or somebody that is 12 or over gets."

The study also showed that effectiveness in preventing hospitalizations dropped to 48-percent in 5 to 11-year-olds. Because so few children were hospitalized at all, the study notes limitations and a wider margin for error.

However, the study found the vaccines are effective in preventing severe infection and death in kids. The authors still recommend children get vaccinated.

Bratzler and the Tulsa Health Department are also still encouraging vaccination.

"Right now, they're continuing to recommend Pfizer," said Dr. Bruce Dart, Executive Director of the Tulsa Health Department.

"There are several reasons why we need to get kids vaccinated, but some will get through breakthrough infections," said Bratzler.

Pfizer is currently testing a booster dose in kids ages 5 to 11.

Study: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.25.22271454v1.full.pdf

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