@@@ COVID week of 9/20

[lea]

Pfizer says lower dose vaccine is safe and effective for 5-11, still plans to submit data by end of the month.

apple.news/AGW2xN_QQQTia6fEBcGRBJw

ETA direct link to WaPo article

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/09/20/covid-vaccine-for-children/

[Velar Fricative]

Yay!!!!

[erbear]

I whooped out loud when I read this this morning.

[georgeglass]

Couldn't get it to open, but our local news also included this:

"Earlier this month, FDA chief Dr. Peter Marks told the AP that once Pfizer turns over its study results, his agency would evaluate the data "hopefully in a matter of weeks" to decide if the shots are safe and effective enough for younger kids."

[eddy]

LFG!

What amazing news to wake up to on a Monday morning.

[dulcemariamar]

I can’t view the article. Did it say if the kids would need one or two shots?

[lea]

Sept 20, 2021 6:20:48 GMT -5 dulcemariamar said:

I can’t view the article. Did it say if the kids would need one or two shots?

The detailed info wasn’t provided yet so we don’t know. It sounds like they are doing two shots in the trials but obviously that’s just testing to see what works best. Hopefully we’ll know soon!

[raangoli]

CNN link for those who can't see the Apple News article: www.cnn.com/2021/09/20/health/pfizer-child-vaccine-data/index.html

[abs]

Yes!! First thing I saw this morning,

Happy Monday!!

[CallingAllAngels]

A day after my 11 year old tested positive 😭

[Bad Dingo]

Sept 20, 2021 6:41:04 GMT -5 CallingAllAngels said:

A day after my 11 year old tested positive 😭

♡♡ I hope they are symptom free and the rest of your family is able to avoid it.

[CallingAllAngels]

Sept 20, 2021 6:51:56 GMT -5 Bad Dingo said:

♡♡ I hope they are symptom free and the rest of your family is able to avoid it.

Thanks, she has cold-like symptoms, and the rest of our household is vaccinated, so 🤞🏻🤞🏻 we will be okay.

[af1212]

So assuming all goes well and things stay on track for approval, my kid will turn 12 in the first week of December.

The dose for 11 is 10 micrograms and for 12 is 30. That seems like a kind of big difference.

Wonder if she will need different doses for first and second shot? Or how that will work.

[konapoppy]

This is going to have a huge immediate impact for those in areas with good vaccination rates. I’m so happy for you all.

[Velar Fricative]

I'm so sorry CallingAllAngels!! I hope she feels only the mildest of symptoms.

[karinothing]

I have a friend in the medical field whose main concern is since it is a different dosage Pfizer will need to manufacture new vials. SO she has some concerns about distribution, but said she trusts in Pfizer's greed to get this to market.

I guess my main question. Lets say its approved by the end of October. How long does it take to get shots in the arm after approval? Its not going to be instant.

[hermione]

My brother texted me this very early in the morning. Great news to wake up to!

[hermione]

Sept 20, 2021 8:24:24 GMT -5 karinothing said:

I have a friend in the medical field whose main concern is since it is a different dosage Pfizer will need to manufacture new vials. SO she has some concerns about distribution, but said she trusts in Pfizer's greed to get this to market.

I guess my main question. Lets say its approved by the end of October. How long does it take to get shots in the arm after approval? Its not going to be instant.

Hasn't it been very quick after approval for adults and teens?  I feel like it was a day or two - am I wrong?

[ssmjlm]

karinothing, I'm with you on timing. I would just love to at least have her first dose by Christmas. I also hope that it's as widespread as adults, so I can take her to CVS, etc and not have to to go the pedi. I don't even go to the pedi anymore for the flu shot once she was old enough for Target to take her.

[karinothing]

Sept 20, 2021 8:31:50 GMT -5 hermione said:

Sept 20, 2021 8:24:24 GMT -5 karinothing said:

I have a friend in the medical field whose main concern is since it is a different dosage Pfizer will need to manufacture new vials. SO she has some concerns about distribution, but said she trusts in Pfizer's greed to get this to market.

I guess my main question. Lets say its approved by the end of October. How long does it take to get shots in the arm after approval? Its not going to be instant.

Hasn't it been very quick after approval for adults and teens?  I feel like it was a day or two - am I wrong?

My friend said it was 4 weeks from submission of data until approval for adults (I can't remember with teens) But with teens the shots were already here and waiting. That will not be the case with kids.

[af1212]

Sept 20, 2021 8:31:50 GMT -5 hermione said:

Sept 20, 2021 8:24:24 GMT -5 karinothing said:

I have a friend in the medical field whose main concern is since it is a different dosage Pfizer will need to manufacture new vials. SO she has some concerns about distribution, but said she trusts in Pfizer's greed to get this to market.

I guess my main question. Lets say its approved by the end of October. How long does it take to get shots in the arm after approval? Its not going to be instant.

Hasn't it been very quick after approval for adults and teens?  I feel like it was a day or two - am I wrong?

But the vials were already available and in production. Sounds like if they need to change vial size and reconfigure production that could take longer?

[abs]

It sounds like shots by Halloween is a very realistic possibility. I will go with that.

[Velar Fricative]

Sept 20, 2021 7:03:26 GMT -5 af1212 said:

So assuming all goes well and things stay on track for approval, my kid will turn 12 in the first week of December.

The dose for 11 is 10 micrograms and for 12 is 30. That seems like a kind of big difference.

Wonder if she will need different doses for first and second shot? Or how that will work.

Unless you're in a state or school district with almost no covid safety protocols implemented and/or outbreaks spiraling out of control, I'd be tempted to just wait until her 12th birthday for the larger first dose. I mean, I don't think there's a magic switch in her body from 11 years 364 days to 12 years 0 days and maybe doctors are okay with the dosage for someone days away from 12, but I'd wait for peace of mind to avoid the confusion about dosage.

[af1212]

Sept 20, 2021 8:24:24 GMT -5 karinothing said:

I have a friend in the medical field whose main concern is since it is a different dosage Pfizer will need to manufacture new vials. SO she has some concerns about distribution, but said she trusts in Pfizer's greed to get this to market.

I guess my main question. Lets say its approved by the end of October. How long does it take to get shots in the arm after approval? Its not going to be instant.

Wonder if it would be more cost effective to continue manufacturing in the 30 vials and just get 3 doses per vial? I’m sure this would mean there is waste but maybe the cost of the waste is less than the cost of reconfiguration.

[Susie]

At the age 5-11 dose, they'd get 15 doses per vial instead of 5 (or maybe like 20 or so, since they were able to use overage to get 6-7 adult doses per vial this spring).  Aside from the increased possibility of waste, is there a reason they wouldn't be able to draw doses from the pre-existing vials for pediatric doses?

[ssmjlm]

Sept 20, 2021 8:47:22 GMT -5 af1212 said:

Sept 20, 2021 8:24:24 GMT -5 karinothing said:

I have a friend in the medical field whose main concern is since it is a different dosage Pfizer will need to manufacture new vials. SO she has some concerns about distribution, but said she trusts in Pfizer's greed to get this to market.

I guess my main question. Lets say its approved by the end of October. How long does it take to get shots in the arm after approval? Its not going to be instant.

Wonder if it would be more cost effective to continue manufacturing in the 30 vials and just get 3 doses per vial? I’m sure this would mean there is waste but maybe the cost of the waste is less than the cost of reconfiguration.

At least initially and then they could start manufacturing specific sized ones.  I think that Pfizer is going to anything and everything to roll it out ASAP once EUA happens.

[breezy8407]

Okay I am glad I wasn't the only one thinking about the vial math.

[karinothing]

 My friend (I think she is a good resource, she is on the VA dept of health advisory board for pediatric care/covid, I don't remember what the official name is).

But anyway, she said she heard the pediatric dose has a different dilution so they can't pull from adult vials. I don't really know enough about it though.

ETA: I will text her now for clarification.

Susie

[timorousbeastie]

Sept 20, 2021 8:43:28 GMT -5 af1212 said:

Sept 20, 2021 8:31:50 GMT -5 hermione said:

Hasn't it been very quick after approval for adults and teens?  I feel like it was a day or two - am I wrong?

But the vials were already available and in production. Sounds like if they need to change vial size and reconfigure production that could take longer?

True, but I would be shocked if Pfizer isn’t planning ahead for this by starting production of the vials before the approval is officially given. I would expect vials could be shipped out within days at most. (That is admittedly speculation on my part, but I really do think that we will be able to get shots in arms quickly after approval.)

[eddy]

I always assumed they would just pull what they needed for the vials for the smaller doses. Aren't they already splitting doses between vials right now? Aka one vial doesn't hold one dose. I remember back in the day talk about how you could squeeze out more doses in each vial. Or is this a totally different make up of the vaccine?

Hopefully there is some education being drummed up right now to inform pharmacies and clinics so this switch can be quick.