The Icelandic Medicines Agency is set to approve the use of the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 for children aged 5-11 today, Director of the Icelandic Medicines Agency Rún Hauksdóttir Hvannberg told RÚV. The use of the vaccine for this age group was approved this morning by the European Medicines Agency.
EMA’s human medicines committee (CHMP) has recommended granting an extension of indication for the COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty to include use in children aged 5 to 11. The vaccine, developed by BioNTech and Pfizer, is already approved for use in adults and children aged 12 and above.
The dosage of Comirnaty for this age group is smaller than the one approved for older people, 10 µg instead of 30 µg. As in the older age group, it is given as two injections in the muscles of the upper arm, three weeks apart.
Rúna added that healthcare authorities in Iceland will now decide if and when to offer vaccinations for this age group.