On Monday, May 10, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the use of the Pfzier BioNtech COVID-19 for adolescents ages 12 - 15. This action will allow the younger population to be protected from COVID-19, bringing us closer to a sense of normalcy and to ending this pandemic.
The vaccine can be administered as soon as the CDC director signs off on the recommendation. This could be as early as this week.
President Biden in a news conference last week, stated that 20,000 pharmacy locations, as well as pediatrician offices, will be ready to begin vaccinating the 12 - 15 year olds.
According to the CDC, around 1.5 million adolescents ages 11 - 17 were diagnosed with COVID from March 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021.
Pfizer is now conducting trials involving children ages six months to 11 years old.