Vaccine rollout for toddlers put on hold; group may require 3-dose series
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Scientists at Pfizer were anticipating a vaccine rollout for this group by the end of the year. However, there has been a holdup.
Results of the most recent clinical trial showed the Pfizer shot failed to evoke the immunity necessary to protect toddlers against the virus. WISHTV.com first reported the news on Friday.
“The two-dose was not giving a high enough response to where they felt comfortable, which is saying only two doses,” said Dr. Michael McKenna, a pediatrician at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital-Indianapolis. “So, it looks like they are going to have to do a third dose, which is not surprising. There are many shots that kids in that age range get three doses, because you’re trying to balance not giving too much of this to kind of shock the system that will lead to a lot of side effects. But, you also don’t want to give too little so they don’t get a good response either.”
Pfizer provided an update on the ongoing study and said it will amend the trial to add a dose at least two months after the second shot.
McKenna says the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention want to see six months of safety data before granting any approval.