Canada authorizes Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11

Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Canada's top health regulator on Friday approved Pfizer's scaled-down COVID-19 vaccine dose for children between 5 and 11, following U.S. officials who authorized the shot last month.

It's the same, smaller dose of Pfizer's regular coronavirus vaccine that's being distributed in the United States.

Canada's approval is the first for any vaccine for the age group.

Canada originally authorized the vaccine for all people over 16 a year ago and for children 12 to 15 in May.

Pfizer's smaller dose is about a third of the normal adult dose.

The pharma company said the child vaccine dose, which is given three weeks apart, showed during clinical trials that it was just as effective as the full dose was for adults.

Officials said kids' doses are expected to arrive at vaccination sites next week, and almost 3 million will be distributed by the end of the week.