A booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine was shown to raise antibody levels in children ages 5 to 11, multiple outlets including NBC News and CNN reported on Thursday.
The additional shot, administered six months after a two-dose primary series, increased antibody levels sixfold, NBC News reported, adding that the clinical trial included 140 children. A smaller sub-analysis of 30 kids in the trial experienced a 36-fold increase in antibodies against the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2.
CNN reported that the companies plan to request Emergency Use Authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration for a booster dose for this age group. CNN also reported that the companies saw no safety issues with the booster dose.
The New York State Department of Health and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously found that the effectiveness of Pfizer's vaccine against infection for children ages 5 to 12 dropped during the Omicron surge from 68 percent to about 12 percent, CNN noted. However, two doses of the vaccine continued to provide protection against more severe illness resulting in urgent care or hospitalizations.