Biontech’s mRNA vaccine, BNT162b2, has been found to prevent symptomatic Covid-19 cases in adolescents for up to four months. The vaccine was also found to be safe, with no serious side effects reported during the phase-3 clinical trial. The study involved 1,131 participants aged 12 to 15 years who received two doses of the vaccine, with a three-week interval between doses. None of the participants in the vaccine group developed symptomatic Covid-19 in the seven days to over four months after the second dose, while 30 cases were reported in the placebo group. The vaccine was found to be 100% effective in preventing Covid-19 in this age group.
The safety profile of the vaccine in adolescents was similar to that in adults, with the most common side effects being pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, and redness and swelling at the injection site. No cases of myocarditis were reported in the study. Biontech has submitted the study results to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval, and other regulatory agencies are expected to receive the data in the coming weeks. The findings are significant as they provide evidence that the vaccine can protect younger age groups against Covid-19, which has been a concern as schools and universities reopen.
The study’s results are reassuring for parents and healthcare professionals, as they demonstrate the vaccine’s safety and efficacy in adolescents. The vaccine’s ability to prevent symptomatic Covid-19 cases in this age group is particularly important, as it can help reduce the spread of the virus in schools and other settings. The study’s findings also support the use of the vaccine in younger age groups, which is crucial for achieving herd immunity and ending the pandemic. The vaccine’s safety profile in adolescents is also encouraging, as it suggests that the vaccine is well-tolerated in this age group. Overall, the study’s results provide hope that the vaccine can help protect adolescents against Covid-19 and contribute to the global effort to end the pandemic.
