Pfizer COVID vaccine clears Japan panel for use with young children
2022.10.05 06:44
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: A medical worker fills a syringe with a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine, at Tokyo Medical Center in Tokyo, Japan February 17, 2021. Behrouz Mehri/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
TOKYO (Reuters) – A Japanese health ministry panel on Wednesday recommended approving Pfizer Inc (NYSE:)’s COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as six months old.
Japan in January expanded use of the vaccine to those as young as 5 years old. Last month, health authorities started to dispensing Pfizer and Moderna (NASDAQ:) Inc booster shots that target the Omicron variant of the virus.
Both companies have versions of the vaccine that are further refined to defend against the BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants of Omicron. Moderna said on Wednesday it was seeking Japanese approval of its subvariant shot, following Pfizer’s application last month.
