FDA to Approve Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine for Ages 12-15 by Next Week

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to grant emergency use authorization of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to children as young as 12 by next week, the New York Times first reported Monday. If the FDA approves the decision, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) advisory panel will likely meet the day after to make recommendations for the shots’ use in teens. In March, Pfizer submitted data from a trial of nearly 2,300 adolescents between 12 and 15 years old, half of whom received the same two-shot regimen that has proven effective in adults. The trial's results suggested the two-shot vaccination process offered similar protection to adolescents as it does to adults. Vaccination approval for younger people is awaited by those who want to get students back to in-person school by the start of the new school year. The authorization could come by the end of the week. The story received wide coverage from across the political spectrum.