Several Cook County and Chicago mass vaccination sites will offer Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines for children ages 12-15 starting on Thursday, a change from the country’s previous 16+ age requirement for the Pfizer vaccine.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the administration of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to 12- to 15-year-olds Wednesday afternoon. Earlier this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the emergency use of the Pfizer vaccine for this age group following a human clinical trial, multiple evaluations from physicians and scientists and a final approval from FDA staff.
“Like adults, all youth age(d) 12 and older are encouraged to get the vaccine,” Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner Allison Arwady said in a Chicago news release. “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.”