Pfizer seeks Canadian approval of vaccine for children

Parents await federal decision on shots for kids aged 5 to 11, a key step in ending pandemic

Pfizer has officially applied for Canadian authorization of its child-sized COVID-19 vaccine meant for those aged five to 11, bringing the country one step closer to protection for the schoolaged population.

The news means that the final data from the drug manufacturer still has to be vetted by experts from Health Canada, who will comb through the results of a trial done on thousands of child volunteers before signing off.

The government isn’t starting from scratch, since Pfizer, which is working with German biotech company BioNTech, submitted a first look at its numbers at the beginning of the month. But the official submission means the ball is now in Health Canada’s court.

In a statement, Health Canada confirmed it had received the submission for the vaccine, now known by the brand name Comirnaty, but did not have a timeline for a decision.

The introduction of the country’s first coronavirus vaccine for kids younger than 12 would offer critical protection for students as schools continue to struggle with outbreaks of COVID-19. Having a bigger share of the population vaccinated would also mean a big step toward slowing the pandemic.

It’s not clear how long a decision on approval will take, since this application is being done through the normal