The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has been granted provisional approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for use in children aged 6 months to under 5 years old, including those in Maribyrnong and Hobsons Bay.
“Today’s provisional approval is an important reminder for parents to speak to their healthcare professional about COVID-19 vaccination,” Pfizer Australia and New Zealand’s medical director Dr Krishan Thiru said.
Pfizer said that while children who experience COVID-19 were less likely to develop severe illness compared with adults, they are still at risk of developing severe illness and complications from COVID-19, including Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome and long COVID.
Children under 5 years also have a higher risk of diseases that overlap with COVID-19 including pneumonia, and other viral upper respiratory tract infections.
For children 6 months to 5 years old, a primary vaccination course consists of three doses.
