A medical panel of US government advisers endorsed the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine in children aged between 5-11 today, paving the way for younger children to get their shots within weeks.
The independent experts concluded the known benefits - both directly to children's health but also in ending school and other disruptions - outweighed the known risks.
After a day of presentations and debate, the final vote was 17 in favour and one abstention. The Food and Drug Administration, which convened the meeting, is expected to give its formal green light soon, making 28 million young Americans eligible for the shot by mid-November. "It is pretty clear to me that the benefits do outweigh the risk when I hear about children who are being put in the