"After authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5-11 years during October 2021, and the administration of approximately eight million doses, local and systemic reactions after vaccination were commonly reported to VAERS and V-safe for vaccinated children aged 5-11 years," the report said. "Serious adverse events were rarely reported."
VAERS refers to the CDC’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, according to which some million Americans have so far reported experiencing adverse affects and nearly 21,000 deaths.
The CDC emphasized that parents and guardians of children 5-11 years old should be advised that such reactions are expected after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and are more common after the getting the second dose.
In November, the CDC authorized the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 years.
On Wednesday, Presidential medical adviser Anthony Fauci said that a coronavirus vaccine for children younger that five years old may take months to approve. Fauci said vaccine tests have not met the criteria for approval by the authorities.
In addition, US media reported on Thursday that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is planning to allow the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine "booster" to be used on 12 to 15-year-old adolescents.
The FDA is also expected to authorize vaccine "booster" shots for children with immune deficiencies in the 5-11 age range, the report said.
The vaccine advisory committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet next week to vote on the changes in case FDA endorses the injections.