Drug companies Pfizer and BioNTech said Monday that three low-dose injections of their COVID-19 vaccine have shown to be effective in protecting children under age five.
辉瑞和生物新科技这两家药企周一表示，其新冠疫苗三针低剂量接种经证实可以有效保护5岁以下儿童。
The companies made the announcement after carrying out new experiments, or trials, involving the youngest population group. They plan to provide information about the trials to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, as soon as this week.
两家公司在进行了涉及这一最年幼群体的新试验后宣布了这一消息。他们计划最早在本周向美国食品药品监督管理局提供有关试验资料。
The estimated 18 million children under five are the only Americans who have not yet been approved to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
估算的1800万名5岁以下儿童是美国唯一尚未接种新冠疫苗的群体。
Pfizer and BioNTech have said the amount of vaccine used in their shots for children under five is much less – about one-tenth lower – than the amount used in injections for adults.
辉瑞和生物新科技公司表示，他们为5岁以下儿童注射的疫苗剂量要比成人注射剂量低得多，大约只有1/10的剂量。
In earlier trials, researchers for the companies said two shots did not seem quite strong enough to effectively protect young children. So they decided to give a third shot to more than 1,600 individuals aged six months to four years. The new trial was carried out during last winter's spread of the Omicron version of COVID-19.
两家公司的研究人员表示，在早期试验中，接种两针似乎不足以有效保护幼儿。因此，他们决定对1600多名6个月至4岁的儿童接种第3针。新试验是在去年冬天奥密克戎版新冠肺炎传播期间进行的。
In a statement released Monday, Pfizer and BioNTech said the extra shot increased levels of virus-fighting antibodies in the youngest age group. The companies said the levels meet FDA requirements for emergency approval of the vaccine.
辉瑞和生物新科技公司在周一发布的声明中表示，加强针提高了这一最小年龄组的抗病毒抗体水平。两家公司表示，这种抗体水平符合美国食品药品管理局对疫苗紧急批准的要求。
Pfizer and BioNTech said early data suggests the three-shot series is more than 80 percent effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19. However, they noted that those results were based on just 10 symptomatic cases identified through April 29.
辉瑞和生物新科技公司表示，早期数据表明，3针疫苗在预防有症状新冠肺炎方面的有效性超过了80%。然而，他们指出，这些结果仅基于截止4月29日确诊的10例有症状病例。
For the study to be complete, researchers need at least 21 cases to make a final declaration of effectiveness. Pfizer and BioNTech promised to share the additional data when it is available.
为了完成这项研究，研究人员至少需要21例病例才能做出最终的有效性声明。辉瑞和生物新科技公司承诺在额外数据出炉后予以分享。
The companies said the vaccine was generally well-received among trial subjects, with only mild side effects reported.
两家公司表示，该疫苗在试验对象中普遍受到好评，仅报告了轻微的副作用。
It remains unclear how many U.S. parents will vaccinate their children in the youngest age group. COVID-19 is generally milder in children than adults. And only about 29 percent of five to 11-year-olds in the country have received vaccinations.
目前尚不清楚会有多少美国家长给这批最小年龄组的孩子接种疫苗。新冠肺炎对儿童的影响通常低于成人。该国5-11岁儿童中只有大约29%接种了疫苗。
The FDA is also planning to examine data provided by competing vaccine maker Moderna for children under the age of six. A group of FDA advisors is set to meet next month to consider use of the two vaccines designed for younger people.
美国食品药品管理局还计划审核竞争疫苗制造商莫德纳公司提供的6岁以下儿童的数据。美国食品药品管理局的顾问组定于下个月会面，审查这两种为最年幼群体设计的疫苗。
Moderna released trial data in March showing that its vaccine was safe and provided a similar immune system reaction in children as it did in adults.
莫德纳公司在3月份发布的试验数据显示其疫苗是安全的，并且在儿童中提供了与成人类似的免疫系统反应。
Moderna said two of its vaccine shots were 37 percent effective in preventing infections in two to five-year-olds, and 51 percent effective for children aged six months to two years.
莫德纳表示，其两针疫苗在预防2到5岁儿童感染方面的有效率为37%，对6个月到2岁儿童的有效率为51%。