COVID-19: US FDA authorises Pfizer booster dose for minors aged 16 & 17

In order to protect its population against COVID, the US Food and Drug Administration has authorised booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine from Pfizer-BioNTech for people aged 16 and 17. The Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) will allow 16 and 17-year-old individuals to receive the booster dose at least six months after receiving their second vaccine dose, according to the US FDA press release. Booster shots were previously authorised for people aged 18 and above. 

The EUA for a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for teenagers aged 16 and 17 years of age is based on the FDA's previous analysis of immune response data that showed the use of a booster dose in individuals 18 years and older.

The FDA analysed the immune response data from around 200 participants from 18 years to 55 years of age who received a single booster dose after six months of receiving their second dose. The antibody response against the COVID-19 one month after a booster dose of the vaccine showed a better response in comparison to the first doses of the vaccine.

'Vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19': Janet Woodcock

Individuals aged 16 and 17 years have been permitted to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or Comirnaty as their booster dose. Janet Woodcock, MD, Acting FDA Commission in the press release informed that receiving vaccines and boosters when eligible is an effective method in combating COVID-19 in addition to other preventive measures like wearing masks and avoiding large crowds.

Woodcock highlighted that vaccination is "best protection against COVID-19" amid cases of Delta variant and Omicron variant. 

"As people gather indoors with family and friends for the holidays, we can’t let up on all the preventive public health measures that we have been taking during the pandemic. With both the delta and omicron variants continuing to spread, vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19," Janet Woodcock said in the press release. 

COVID-19 situation in the US 

According to the CDC data, as on December 10, the total number of COVID-19 cases reported in the US is 49,458,520. The overall tally of fatalities due to COVID-19 is 790,766. According to the CDC, around 237,468,725 people have been fully vaccinated in the US and 49.9 million people have received a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccine in the US. 

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