Thread by @profshanecrotty

The FDA expanded the Pfizer/BioNTech RNA COVID-19 vaccine to 12-15 year olds yesterday.
🔵Excellent protection (100% = 0 cases versus 18)
🔵Excellent safety (On to younger children already)
🔵Better antibodies than adults

Also bodes well for other COVID vaccines in kids!🧵

FDA CBER head Dr. Marks:"It was a relatively straightforward decision. The response..was excellent and in fact it was even better, really, in the younger age group than it was in the 16-25 age group. The safety profile was very similar in 12-15-year-olds as in 16-25-year-olds."

fda.gov/news-events/pr…

This contains the full data that the FDA reviewed. It matches the Pfizer announcement last month.
fda.gov/media/144413/d…

Overall from the data:
🔵 identical safety profile to adults, or slightly less reactions than adults.
🔵 Almost 2x the amount of antibodies than adults
🔵 Outstanding protection against COVID-19

Here's what I wrote about this when the data were announced last month:

https://twitter.com/profshanecrotty/status/1377265484551188481?s=20

The CDC vaccine advisory committee will meet on Wednesday about recommending the vaccine for 12-15 year olds, and availability will likely depend on that decision.

Moderna and J&J have similar vaccine clinical trials ongoing in children.