Pfizer: "COVID-19 Vaccine 100% Effective in Preventing Infection in Ages 12-15"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The COVID-19 vaccine developed by the American pharmaceutical company Pfizer has been shown to have 100% preventive effectiveness in adolescents aged 12 to 15.

According to AFP on the 22nd (local time), Pfizer and German BioNTech announced that in a recent clinical trial, they administered two doses of the Pfizer vaccine to 2,228 adolescents aged 12 to 15 and followed them for 7 days to 4 months, resulting in this outcome.

Pfizer stated that among the trial participants, 30 were diagnosed with COVID-19, but all belonged to the placebo group.

They also reported that the efficacy was consistently high across gender, race, and obesity levels, and no serious safety issues were found in individuals observed for at least six months after completing the second dose.

Pfizer and BioNTech believe that these clinical trial results will help in obtaining formal approval for the vaccine for ages 12 to 15 in the United States and worldwide.

Pfizer and others are pursuing a plan to apply a single vaccine dose of 30㎍ (micrograms) for those aged 12 and older.

Earlier in May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 15. Then, three months later in August, it fully approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine for the population aged 16 and older.

Albert Bourla, CEO of Pfizer, stated in a press release, "In a situation where the global health community is striving to increase vaccination rates, these additional trial results clearly demonstrate that our vaccine is safe and effective for adolescents."

He added, "This is especially important as COVID-19 cases are increasing in this age group in some regions, yet vaccination rates remain slow. We plan to share these results with the FDA and other relevant authorities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.