The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is set to authorize distribution of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to 12 to 15-year-olds during the week of May 10.
The vaccine was previously approved for those 16 and older; however, recent clinical trials showed the efficacy in 12 to 15-year-olds was similar to that in adults.
“Pfizer reported several weeks ago that none of the adolescents in the clinical trial who received the vaccine developed symptomatic infections, a sign of significant protection,” the New York Times wrote in an article regarding the pending FDA approval of the Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15 year-olds. “The company said that volunteers produced strong antibody responses and experienced about the same side effects seen in people ages 16 to 25.”