COVID19: Canada is first country to approve Pfizer jab for young children aged 12

Canada became the first country to approve the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children aged 12 and above on Wednesday.

According to Supriya Sharma, chief medical advisor at Health Canada, "this is the first vaccine approved in Canada for the prevention of COVID-19 in children, and it marks a significant milestone in Canada's fight against the pandemic". 

Clinical trials have shown that the vaccine is safe for adolescents as well as adults, she said.

By next week, the US Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve Pfizer's vaccine for children, allowing many children to receive shots before the start of the next school year. 

The announcement comes barely a month after the company found that its shot, which is already authorized for those age 16 and older, also provided protection for the younger group.

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Pfizer in late March released preliminary results from a vaccine study of 2,260 US volunteers ages 12 to 15 showing there were no cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared with 18 among those given dummy shots.

According to the company, children's side effects were similar to those of young adults. Pain, fever, chills, and fatigue are the most common side effects, especially after the second dose. The study will follow participants for another two years to learn more about long-term protection and safety.

Vaccinations in Canada have accelerated in recent months, and the country expects to receive at least 10 million vaccines this month. At least one dose has been given to more than 34% of Canadians.