8.98°C Vancouver

Oct 7, 2021 4:39 PM -

Pfizer to seek approval for its vaccine for kids as young as five in about a week

Share On
pfizer-to-seek-approval-for-its-vaccine-for-kids-as-young-as-five-in-about-a-week
A vial of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is pictured at an Alberta Health Services vaccination clinic in Didsbury, Alta., Tuesday, June 29, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Pfizer Canada says it is preparing to ask Health Canada to authorize its COVID-19 vaccine for kids as young as five by mid-October.

The U.S. drugmaker submitted a formal request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today and the FDA intends to meet to discuss the submission on Oct. 26.

Last week Pfizer submitted data to both governments from a clinical trial on children five to 11 but hadn't formally requested authorization.

A spokeswoman for the company's Canadian arm says it is in the final stages of working with Health Canada ahead of the submission being made so kids between five and 11 can be given the shots here.

The vaccine was authorized for people at least 16 years old in December 2020 and for teenagers between 12 and 15 in May.

The dose for younger children is one-third the size given to adults and Pfizer and Health Canada have not yet said if vaccine supplies already in Canadian freezers can be adapted for use on children or if new shipments must be made.

Latest news

surrey-man-charged-after-newton-area-shooting
CanadaJan 30, 2026

Surrey Man Charged After Newton-Area Shooting

Police have laid multiple criminal charges following a shooting at a Surrey home on New Year’s Day. Officers from the Surrey Police Service (SPS) responded around 11:45 p.m. on January 1, 2026, to reports of gunfire in the area of 140B Street and 59 Avenue in Newton. At the scene, they found an injured man who was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound. Officials said his condition was stable. A second man was arrested at the location. The SPS Serious Crime Unit took over the investigation. On January 28, the BC Prosecution Service approved charges against 49-year-old Chanchal Badwal. He fac
b-c-based-jim-pattison-developments-cancels-virginia-warehouse-sale-to-ice
BCJan 30, 2026

B.C.-based Jim Pattison Developments cancels Virginia warehouse sale to ICE

Vancouver-based Jim Pattison Developments has announced it will not proceed with the sale of a Virginia warehouse property to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which had planned to use the site as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) processing facility. The 43.5-acre property in Hanover County, Virginia, faced public scrutiny after news emerged that it could be converted into a holding and processing centre amid a wider U.S. immigration crackdown. The company, owned by Canadian billionaire Jim Pattison, had previously stated it was unaware of the final purchaser or the intende
israel-to-reopen-gaza-egypt-border-crossing-after-nearly-two-years-of-closure
WorldJan 30, 2026

Israel to reopen Gaza–Egypt border crossing after nearly two years of closure

Israel says it will reopen Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Sunday, allowing limited movement of people in and out of the territory for the first time in nearly two years. The Israeli military agency COGAT, which oversees civilian coordination with Gaza, said the reopening will permit “limited movement of people only,” with both Israel and Egypt screening those seeking to cross. European Union border assistance personnel will supervise operations at the crossing, Gaza’s primary link to the outside world. The Rafah crossing has been largely closed since May 2024, following ren
federal-court-of-appeal-set-to-rule-on-ottawas-single-use-plastics-ban
CanadaJan 30, 2026

Federal Court of Appeal upholds Ottawa’s authority to maintain single-use plastic b

Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal has ruled that the federal government acted within its authority when it classified certain plastic products as toxic, clearing the way for Ottawa to maintain its ban on several single-use plastic items. In a unanimous decision released Friday, a three-judge panel overturned a 2023 lower court ruling that had found the federal government overreached by broadly labeling plastic manufactured items as toxic under environmental legislation. That earlier decision had cast uncertainty over the future of the single-use plastics ban. The appeal court concluded the go
cfia-says-threats-against-staff-escalated-during-b-c-ostrich-cull-forcing-family-relocation
BCJan 30, 2026

CFIA says threats against staff escalated during B.C. ostrich cull, forcing family relocation

A senior Canadian Food Inspection Agency official says agency employees faced escalating threats and harassment during preparations for the culling of hundreds of ostriches at a British Columbia farm, including incidents serious enough to force the relocation of a worker and their family. In an interview with The Canadian Press, the official said opposition to the cull intensified both online and in person, culminating in what they described as extreme cases of direct threats involving physical violence and sexual assault. One CFIA employee and their partner were relocated along with their chi

Related News