Pfizer and BioNTech asked the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday to approve their controversial COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11.
The New York Times reports that “the agency has promised to move quickly on the request and has tentatively scheduled a meeting on Oct. 26 to consider it. A ruling is expected between Halloween and Thanksgiving.”
“With new cases in children in the U.S. continuing to be at a high level, this submission is an important step in our ongoing effort against Covid-19,” Pfizer said in a statement on Thursday.
The Times report continues, “Pfizer has proposed giving children one-third of the adult dosage. That might require adding more diluent to each injection or using a different vial or syringe. The company was expected to describe the method it intended to use in its submission to the Food and Drug Administration.”
Only about 125 children in this age group died from COVID-19.