A new revelation by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that two doses of the Pfizer Covid vaccine can help in protecting a ‘rare but often serious’ condition in children. Experts believe that this condition causes organ inflammation a few weeks after Covid infection. This comes in after a study which concluded that the vaccine was 91 per cent effective in preventing Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children aged 12- to 18-years.
The syndrome leads to inflammation in children in organs such as the heart, lungs, kidneys and brain.
The study involved 283 hospitalised patients aged 12–18 years. They were in 24 different children’s hospitals in 20 states between July and early December. As per the study, children aged 5–11 years are at the highest risk for this inflammatory syndrome.
Also read | Omicron update: CDC suggests Pfizer booster shot for kids aged 12 and above
Meanwhile, both FDA and CDC have suggested Pfizer booster shots for kids aged 12 and above.
The booster shot will be given at least five months after the two doses have been given. The decision was taken after a CDC advisory panel voted 13-1 in favour of booster dose.
The vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech is the only US option for children of any age. According to the CDC, about 13.5 million 12- to 17-year-olds, just over half that age group, have received two Pfizer shots.
Global Covid cases experiencing a surge due to the Omicron variant. The health authorities have warned that its extremely high transmissibility could overwhelm many health systems.
(With inputs from agencies)
