By Mrinalika Roy

(Reuters) – A third dose of COVID-19 vaccination from Pfizer According to companies, Inc (NYSE:), and BioNTech provided significant protection against Omicron variant coronavirus among healthy children aged 5-11 years old.

The drugmakers reported that blood serum analyses of children who had received booster doses in a trial showed a 36-fold rise in Omicron neutralizing antibody levels.

After the booster shot, the number of antibodies that neutralize the original virus strain for which vaccines were created rose sixfold.

According to the companies, they will apply to the U.S. for an emergency authorization for a booster dose of the drug for this age group within the next few days. Additional submissions to international regulatory agencies such as the European Medicines Agency are expected to follow.

In the mid- to late stage of this study, 140 children aged between 5 and 11 years were tested for safety and immunogenicity. The vaccine is administered to adults in a 30 microgram dose.

The demand for the third dose of vaccines in this age group is unknown. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows that only 28% of these children – or around 8,000,000 – have been fully vaccinated.

Although the results were “promising”, experts cautioned that they weren’t sufficient to know how this booster affects children with severe illness or hospitalization.

The data is overall very positive. It raises some questions. Is the answer durable? “How durable will the response be to future variations?” Dr. Anna Bershteyn, NYU Langone Health.

Given the lower risk of serious infection and hospitalization, there has been some doubt about the need to give boosters to younger children.

However, Mass General Hospital for Children chief of Adolescent Medicine Dr. Scott Hadland stated that parents often ask for the services.

Hadland stated to Reuters that despite not offering 100% protection from infection, vaccines and boosters can often be very effective in preventing severe illness or hospitalization.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration authorized a third dose of the vaccine for children ages 12 to 15 and those aged 5 through 11 who are immunocompromised.

At the time, it was stating that boosters will be weighed for 5 to 11 year olds once more children have had two doses.