The European Union’s drug regulator on Thursday recommended expanding the use of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for children from 5 to 11 years old. The decision, announced by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), cited Pfizer’s clinical trial data, which the company says indicates a 90.7 percent efficacy in preventing illness in the age group. “The benefits of Comirnaty in children aged 5 to 11 outweigh the risks, particularly in those with conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19,” the EMA said in a statement. The COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech called Comirnaty is already approved by EMA for use in adults and children aged 12 and above. EMA recommending the Pfizer jab for young children marks the first time the EU regulator has cleared a COVID-19 shot for use in this age group. While final approval is up to the European Commission and is not …