Bahrain approves Pfizer COVID vaccine for children aged 5-11

Gulf Today Report

Gulf state Bahrain has approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use for children aged between 5 and 11 years, the government media office said on Tuesday.

The decision came after a study involving 3,100 children aged between 5 and 11 who were administered with the vaccine found it to be 90.7% effective in that age group, said the statement, citing the National Health Regulatory Authority.

READ MORE

UAE residents warned off poor visibility

World leaders join pact to slash planet-warming methane emissions

None of the children involved in the study showed severe side effects, it said, according to Reuters.

Bahrain will be supplied with doses from the manufacturer for the 5-11 age group from the start of 2022, it said.

Earlier, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has also authorised the emergency use of Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11.

The move is supported by clinical data and is based on results of clinical studies and careful assessment in compliance with approved regulations and after approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This move emanates from the ministry's emphasise on the importance of vaccination against COVID-19 and as part of the relentless efforts to expand the nation-wide vaccination campaign and to accelerate the recovery process.