“Like adults, all youth age 12 and older are encouraged to get the vaccine,” CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said in a statement. “Current data show that the vaccine is safe and effective in children, and it not only protects our kids, but also their families and our communities."
"In Chicago, communities with the lowest vaccination rates continue to have high case counts and rates of hospitalization and death—even in teens and young adults," she continued. "Help us increase vaccine uptake and get past COVID by bringing your whole family to get vaccinated together.”
The FDA's decision on Monday will now be followed by a meeting of the CDC's federal vaccine advisory committee, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (known as ACIP), to discuss whether to recommend the shot for 12- to 15-year-olds.