FDA Expands Pfizer’s Booster Shot Elegibility to Kids Ages 12 to 15

As Covid-19 continues to make waves, many people are lining up to get their booster shots.

This week the Food and Drug Administration has expanded drug maker Pfizer’s and BioNTech’s booster vaccine shot to include eligibility for kids ages 12 to 15. The agency has also authorized third shorts at 5 months, instead of six months.

Additionally, the FDA has authorized a third vaccine dose as part of the primary series of shots for children ages 5 through 11 who have compromised immune systems.

People who received the two-dose Moderna vaccine are still supposed to get their booster at least six months after the second shot, while those who received Johnson & Johnson as their primary vaccine are eligible for a booster at least two months after their first shot.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has encouraged everyone who is eligible to receive a booster dose.

The CDC must sign off on expanded eligibility for 12- to 15-year-old kids, and its expert advisory panel will meet on Wednesday.

“The recent rise in COVID-19 cases is concerning to all and today’s decision by the FDA to further expand the Emergency Use Authorization of a booster dose of our vaccine is critical to help
us ultimately defeat this pandemic,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement.

“We continue to believe that broad use of boosters is essential to preserving a high level of protection against this disease and reducing the rate of hospitalizations,” Bourla added.

More than 65% of people ages 5 and older are fully vaccinated in the U.S., according to CDC data. Children under 5 years of age are not yet eligible for vaccination.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.