JUST IN: Pfizer 3-dose COVID vaccine 80% effective against symptomatic omicron infection for youngest children.
ABC News Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jen Ashton explains how vaccines work.In long-awaited data, Pfizer said its 3-dose vaccine was 80% effective against symptomatic omicronThe company cautioned that estimate was preliminary and could be adjusted as more data is collected. The trial wasn't big enough to estimate protection against severe disease, which experts expect to be higher.
For anxious parents, the Pfizer news offers reassurance that the vaccine help protect young children currently not eligible for vaccination. "I anticipate a lot of parents will be asking whether they should choose a two-dose Moderna vaccine or the three-dose Pfizer vaccine," said Dr. Alok Patel, pediatric hospitalist at Stanford Children's health and an ABC News contributor."I would recommend that parents pay attention to the FDA and CDC’s guidance and what final analysis reveals for both vaccines."
Though the FDA’s leaders have repeatedly said they would not unnecessarily hold up Moderna’s authorization, it’s possible that the FDA’s panel of independent experts call for authorizing Moderna and Pfizer side-by-side. Though children under five is the last remaining age group that’s yet to be vaccinated, polls indicate there could be sluggish uptake.
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