Health Canada expected to announce approval of Pfizer vaccine for kids on Friday: source

Health Canada will announce the approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children ages five to 11 on Friday, CBC News has confirmed.

The news was first reported by the Toronto Star.

Officials are set to make the formal announcement and announcedetails of deliveries at a media briefing on Friday.

A source who spoke on the condition they not be named becausethey weren't authorized to speak on the record said the government is talking to the company now tofirm up delivery timelines.

The source said Canada can expect pediatric doses to arrivein the country in a matter of "days, not weeks."

On Oct. 18, Health Canada received Pfizer-BioNTech'ssubmission for approval ofits vaccine for children which is delivered in dosesone-third the size of thosegiven to adults and kids 12 and older.

More than two million children in the U.S. have received their first doses already, afterthe U.S.Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine last month.

Last week, Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Tam told reporters that,for the second weekin a row, "children under 12 continue to have the highest incidence rates across all age groups."

Moderna askedHealth Canada last week to approve itsCOVID-19 vaccinefor children six to 11 years of age.

In a release, the departmentsaid it would "prioritize" its review of Moderna's submission, as it does with all COVID-19 vaccines, "while maintaining its high scientific standards for safety, efficacy and quality."

Pfizer's COVID vaccine is now officially calledComirnaty whileModerna's COVID-19 vaccine is marketed under the nameSpikevax.