EN Desk International

COVID-19: Canada authorizes vaccine for children ages 12 to 15

A healthcare worker fills a low-dead space syringe with the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Thursday, March 4, 2021. Low-dead space syringes are designed to minimize the "dead space" between the plunger and needle, making them a crucial tool in extracting six doses, instead of the five that were expected, from each Pfizer vial. Photographer: Jennifer Gauthier/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Canada on Wednesday authorized the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages 12 to 15, a step hailed by officials as a ‘significant milestone’ in the country’s fight against the Coronavirus.

The two dose vaccine is the first to be greenlighted for use in that age group by Health Canada, the country’s drug regulator. 

Pfizer has sought authorization for similar use in the United States, which the Food and Drug Administration is expected to do by early next week.