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On Jan. 3, The Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine booster shot for children aged between 12 to 15-year-old. The booster shot is the same strength as the dosage originally authorized by the FDA for anyone aged 16-years-old and older. With the surge in Covid-19 cases, the booster is an important weapon in combating the Omicron variant of the Coronavirus.
“Throughout the pandemic, as the virus that causes COVID-19 has continuously evolved, the need for the FDA to quickly adapt has meant using the best available science to make informed decisions with the health and safety of the American public in mind,” said acting FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D.
“With the current wave of the omicron variant, it’s critical that we continue to take effective, life-saving preventative measures such as primary vaccination and boosters, mask wearing and social distancing to in order to effectively fight COVID-19”
This shift was made after the FDA studied real-world data collected from Israel from over 6,300 individuals aged 12-15, who received their booster dosage after completing the main two-dose immunizations, according to CNBC
The FDA also stated, “The data shows there are no new safety concerns following a booster in this population. There were no new cases of myocarditis or pericarditis reported to date in these individuals.”
According to the FDA, “The agency has determined that the protective health benefits of a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is to provide continued protection against COVID-19 and the associated serious consequences that can occur including hospitalization and death, outweigh the potential risks in individuals 12 through 15 years of age.”
Read more information about how the booster can protect your child from COVID and its variants here.
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