27 Oct 2021

Covid-19 updates: Medsafe 'ready to move quickly' on vaccine for kids

6:22 pm on 27 October 2021

Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins says regulators are poised for final approval to rollout a Covid-19 vaccine for children. See how the day's Covid-19 news unfolded with RNZ's live blog.

An expert panel has recommended the US Food and Drug Administration approve a Pfizer vaccine for ages 5 to 11.

If the FDA authorises a paedriatic vaccine then final say-so for its usage falls to the Centres of Disease Control in early November.

Hipkins told media today the authorities in New Zealand were getting ready.

"We have the network set up. Obviously we are able to operational that quite quickly. The FDA approval was the first hurdle for our own approval processes in New Zealand. I know that Medsafe are ready to move quickly on an application."

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says more information from Pfizer is expected to be provided to Medsafe early next month.

"They have got that paedriatic version of the vaccine ready to go should it be approved for use," Bloomfield says.

"So that's an important part of the consideration of both the approval process here and then the timing of when we can roll out the vaccine."

See how the day's Covid-19 news unfolded with RNZ's live blog:

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