FDA authorized a Pfizer booster dose for 5-11 year olds at least 5 months after they complete their initial two dose series.
The CDC's ACIP is meeting Thursday to discuss it, and then it goes to the CDC director for final approval.
This was based on an immunobridging trial showing non-inferior immune responses compared to an older comparator group. 5-11 year olds that received a booster saw a strong immune response.
The booster is very safe for this age group as well. Vaccine-related myocarditis for 5-11 year olds is much lower than it is for teens and young adults, and we see even lower rates of vaccine-related myocarditis for the booster dose.
While this age group has a relatively low risk of severe disease and death from SARS-COV-2, they still can get sick, and not just for kids with comorbidities. The mortality risk is similar to the flu for this age group, but the risks of severe disease, hospitalization, and mechanical ventilation are higher than they are for the flu. Likewise, this age group can suffer from Long COVID (at lower rates than adults) and the rare inflammatory disease MIS-C.
Fortunately vaccination is quite effective for this age group, significantly reducing the risk of severe disease and hospitalization. Unfortunately only ~30% of kids in this age group received two doses.
We are seeing a rise in cases as Omicron sub-variants spread in the US. And seasonal influenza cases are again rising in an unusual extension of the flu season.