Bahrain approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11

• Bahrain gives emergency approval to Pfizer shots for children aged 5-11.
• Decision comes after study involving 3,100 children of same age group administered with vaccine found it to be 90.7% effective, says National Health Regulatory Authority.
• Last week, Gulf state Bahrain had approved Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for children aged between 3 and 11 years.

DUBAI: Gulf state Bahrain has approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use for children aged between 5 and 11 years, the government media office said on Tuesday.

The decision came after a study involving 3,100 children aged between 5 and 11 who were administered with the vaccine found it to be 90.7% effective in that age group, said the statement, citing the National Health Regulatory Authority.

None of the children involved in the study showed severe side effects, it said.

Bahrain will be supplied with doses from the manufacturer for the 5-11 age group from the start of 2022, it said.

Last week, Bahrain had approved the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine for children aged between 3 and 11 years from October 27, the state media office had said.

“The national team noted that this age group was allowed to receive the vaccination after the vaccination committee studied all the medical recommendations issued in this regard in order to preserve their health and safety by acquiring immunity against the virus,” the Bahrain News Agency reported.

A parent or guardian’s consent is required for children to be vaccinated against the coronavirus, the news agency reported. They must also be accompanied by an adult while receiving the vaccine.