FDA OKs Pfizer for 12 and up

The FDA on Monday approved the Pfizer vaccine for kids ages 12 to 15 — paving the way for teens to begin getting the shots as early as this week.

A CDC vaccine advisory committee will still need to greenlight the shot for youths in that age group, with an approval expected Wednesday.

“The FDA’s expansion of the emergency-use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to include adolescents 12 through 15 years of age is a significant step in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said. “Parents and guardians can rest assured that the agency undertook a rigorous and thorough review of all available data.”

The FDA announced its intention to open up the vaccines to adolescents last week. There were about 1.5 million COVID-19 cases among 11- to 17-year-olds between March 1 last year and April 30 this year.