Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine

Health worker prepares a COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination center in Jerusalem, September 30, 2021 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Health officials say Israel could start vaccinating kids 5-11 by mid-November

Virus czar: Israeli kids to start getting inoculated after US counterparts, parents must ‘protect their children’; Health chief Ash: Government go-ahead may come ‘in several weeks’

October 24, 2021, 1:01 pm

Health officials say Israel could start vaccinating kids 5-11 by mid-November

Virus czar: Israeli kids to start getting inoculated after US counterparts, parents must ‘protect their children’; Health chief Ash: Government go-ahead may come ‘in several weeks’

By TOI staff

Illustrative -- A healthcare worker injects a boy with a dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, during a vaccination drive for children between the ages of 12-17, in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico, Oct. 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Isabel Mateos)

October 23, 2021, 11:45 am

FDA says Pfizer COVID vaccine looks highly effective for children 5-11

US says benefit outweighs any risk, no unexpected side effects; panel to vote Tuesday before decision made on authorization; Israel said planning to inoculate kids from December

By AP and TOI staff

Illustrative: In this May 14, 2021, file photo, an adolescent gets a shot of the Pfizer COVID-19 at the First Baptist Church of Pasadena in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

October 22, 2021, 4:54 pm

Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine over 90% effective for kids 5-11

FDA expected to weigh in on findings, which also show shot to be safe for smaller kids, later Friday, with child-sized doses possibly available starting as early as next month

By AP

A health worker prepares a COVID-19 vaccine in Jerusalem, on October 3, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

October 21, 2021, 6:21 pm

Top doctor says receding COVID means parents won’t rush to vaccinate their kids

As the FDA prepares to approve shots for children, pediatric diseases expert Galia Grisaru-Soen warns new variants could prove ‘more serious’ for them

By Nathan Jeffay

A medical worker prepares a vial of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine at Clalit Health Service's vaccination center in the Cinema City complex in Jerusalem, September 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)

October 21, 2021, 4:35 pm

3rd dose of Pfizer vaccine 95.6% effective against Delta, phase 3 results show

Pharmaceutical giant’s chief says trials ‘provide further evidence of the benefits of boosters’ and will be shared with regulatory agencies ‘as soon as possible’

By AFP and TOI staff

Israelis receive their dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a Clalit health care maintenance organization, on September 09, 2021, in Jerusalem. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

October 21, 2021, 2:27 am

Large Israeli study finds Pfizer COVID shot keeps teens safe from Delta strain

Researchers analyzing Clalit data of over 94,000 vaccinated adolescents and the same number of unimmunized finds those who got the shot are 90% less likely to get the coronavirus

By TOI staff

A healthcare worker holds a vial of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, October 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

October 7, 2021, 5:52 pm

Pfizer asks US to approve COVID vaccine for kids ages 5-11

Pharma firm formally files application with American regulators; Israel waiting for FDA approval before okaying shots for that age group; no major side effects seen in study

By AP and TOI staff

October 7, 2021, 3:06 am

Majority of Jewish Israeli parents would give COVID shot to kids 5-11 — survey

Research finds 57% would give child vaccine if FDA approved; parents older than 40, with academic degrees, with higher incomes all more likely to back vaccination

By TOI staff

Illustration of a human heart (magicmine; iStock by Getty ImageS)

October 7, 2021, 3:05 am

Major Israeli study: Risk of heart inflammation after COVID shots is very small

Data from 2.5 million who got vaccine finds the illness afflicted only 0.002%, and was found to be serious in only 2% of the cases that did develop, though one patient died

By TOI staff

A syringe is prepared with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic in Jerusalem, September 1, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/ Flash90)

October 4, 2021, 8:19 pm

EU drug agency gives green light to COVID vaccine booster for adults

European Medicines Agency rules to approve 3rd shots of Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus inoculation for all people aged over 18

By AP and TOI staff

October 3, 2021, 7:05 pm

Israel data: Boosters cut elderly’s risk of COVID death to 50th of unvaxxed rate

‘Dramatic figures’ show over-60s who shun vaccines are not only at much greater risk of death than triple-vaxxed, but also have 65 times the chance of getting seriously ill

By Nathan Jeffay

An Israeli receives the COVID-19 vaccine on September 20, 2021 in Jerusalem (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

September 28, 2021, 3:20 pm

Pfizer submits initial COVID vaccine trial data to FDA for children aged 5-11

Pharmaceutical company files information from study involving over 2,000 children; says not yet requesting emergency use authorization, but expected to do so in weeks

By TOI staff and AP

US President Joe Biden receives a COVID-19 booster shot during an event in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Monday, Sept. 27, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

September 28, 2021, 1:32 am

Biden gets booster shot, urges Americans to get vaccinated

Following evidence from Israel and early studies in US, president has pushed for 3rd dose, but CDC has so far only authorized it for those 65 and over or with underlying conditions

By Zeke Miller

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla speaks at a Pfizer manufacturing site, in Portage, Michigan, February 19, 2021. (Evan Vucci/AP)

September 27, 2021, 12:24 am

Pfizer CEO: Vaccine data on ages 5-11 to be filed in days for FDA approval

Albert Bourla says a return to normal life could come within a year, but predicts that will include annual vaccinations

By AP and TOI staff

A syringe is prepared with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic at the Reading Area Community College in Reading, Pennsylvania, September 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

September 23, 2021, 8:13 pm

EU drug agency to decide on COVID boosters in weeks

European Medicines Agency will rule in early October if to approve 3rd shots of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for all people aged over 16

By AFP and TOI staff