On Tuesday, the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine cleared a hurdle for use in young children as an advisory panel for the FDA approved the vaccine for use in children ages 5-11.
According to NBC News, the vote among the committee was 17-0 with one abstention. It will now go to the FDA, who is expected to make a final ruling in the next few days and if it is authorized, the entire US population outside of children four years or younger will be eligible to be vaccinated.
The vaccine that would be given to children is less of a dose than what is given to those ages 12 and older -- 10 micrograms of mRNA versus 30 micrograms. Just like the dose given to adults, it will be given in two doses three weeks apart.
According to NBC News, children are less susceptible to severe illness from COVID, but more than 1.9 million children ages 5-11 have tested positive for the virus, more than 8,400 have been hospitalized and 94 have passed away from the virus.