‘It’s a game changer’: Microbiologist reacts to Pfizer announcement

Pfizer-BioNTech has submitted data on its COVID vaccine’s efficacy for kids aged five to 12.

University of Saskatchewan microbiologist Dr. Joseph Blondeau joined Gormley on Tuesday to talk about the announcement and called the data a “huge step” in a vaccine being made available for children.

“It’s a game changer,” Blondeau said. “Kids represent an important reservoir and I think that the data from the Pfizer trials showing it’s safe and kids responding with neutralizing antibodies is a very, very positive step.

“Getting them immunized will be extremely helpful in getting the overall percentage of the population immune.”

According to the data presented by Pfizer, 4,500 participants aged six months to 12 years in the United States, Finland, Poland, and Spain were part of the testing trials.

The results showed “robust” neutralizing antibody responses according to the drug maker. A two-dose regimen of 10-microgram doses was used for kids ages five to 12, which is less than the 30-microgram doses made available in people over the age of 12.

Children under the age of five received a lower three-microgram dose.

“The 10(-microgram) dose was carefully selected as the preferred dose for safety, tolerability and immunogenicity in children,” a release by Pfizer-BioNTech read. “Pfizer and BioNTech plan to submit data from the full Phase 3 trial for scientific peer-reviewed publication.”

Doctors were predicting in August that a vaccine for kids could be made available sooner rather than later. Blondeau says the announcement couldn’t come at a better time.

“The overall percentage of children that have become infected has been steadily increasing,” he said. “Even though the children themselves, not a lot of them in terms of the overall percentage with our hospitalizations are dying, one death is too much, whether it’s a child or an adult.”