Federal health officials have authorized a COVID-19 vaccine booster in 16- and 17-year-olds as the omicron variant spreads to more states.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine can be used as a booster for this age group at least six months after a primary series, under an expanded emergency use authorization (EUA) granted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also signed off on the boosters.
“Since we first authorized the vaccine, new evidence indicates that vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 is waning after the second dose of the vaccine for all adults and for those in the 16- and 17-year-old age group,” Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a news release. “A single booster dose of the vaccine for those vaccinated at least six months prior will help provide continued protection against COVID-19 in this and older age groups.”
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