KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia said on Friday it would proceed with the procurement of the Pfizer Inc and BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children, following a U.S. expert panel’s recommendation for the shot to be authorised for those aged 5 to 11.
A panel of advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration voted on Tuesday to recommend the authorisation, saying the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks. The agency’s decision is still pending.
Malaysia’s Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said on Twitter other options, such as the vaccine made by China’s Sinovac BioTech, would also be considered to ensure schools can reopen safely.
About 62% of teenagers aged between 12 and 17 in the Southeast Asian country are fully vaccinated, government statistics showed on Friday.
(Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Editing by James Pearson)
