Health ministry officially approves Pfizer shots at lower doses for children aged 5-11 years

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Health on Friday officially granted approval of Pfizer/BioNTech COVID- 一 九 vaccines for use in children aged five to under  一 二 years old.

The decision was reflected in the amended approval for emergency use of the Comirnaty shots originally signed in June last year.

According to the decision, one dose for children from  一 二 years and above is 0. 三ml of vaccine (after dilution) containing  三0mcg of mRNA enveloped by lipid nanoparticles, while the one dose for children from five to under  一 二 is 0. 二ml of vaccine (after dilution) containing a third of the amount of mRNA for adults, or  一0mcg.

With regards to packaging, for people aged  一 二 years and older, the products are placed into trays with  一 九 五 vials in each tray, and one vial holding six doses of vaccines; or placed into a box of  二 五 vials, with one vial holding six doses; or placed in one box of  一0 vials, with one vial also holding six doses.

The paediatric vaccines are placed in either a tray of  一 九 五 vials with each vial containing  一0 doses, or a box of  一0 vials with each vial holding  一0 doses.

The manufacturers of the vaccines are listed as Pfizer Manufacturing Belgium NV (Belgium);, BioNTech Manufacturing GmbH (Germany), Pharmacia and Upjohn Company LLC (the United States), and Hospira Incorporated (the United States).

The decision takes effect from today.

In last week's meeting with National Assembly deputies on schooling in COVID- 一 九, deputy health minister Đỗ Xuân Tuyên said  九 八 per cent of adults (aged  一 八 and above) in Việt Nam had received two doses of vaccines, and booster shot coverage was at  三 二 per cent, while  九 四 per cent of children aged  一 二- 一 七 had been fully vaccinated (also using Pfizer shots).

The procedures to purchase s to use for  一0 million children in the  五- 一 一 age group had been “basically completed,” he said.

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has asked localities and the health sector to prepare all conditions, including facilities, storage and transport, and human resources to carry out the COVID- 一 九 inoculation of children aged  五- 一 一 years right after the vaccines are delivered, which is expected to be at the end of April this year. — VNS