This archive report was first published on 11 May 2021.
On May 10, 2021, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made a significant announcement, authorizing the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 15 years old.
President Joe Biden welcomed the decision, stating, 'This is a promising development in our fight against the virus.' He added, 'If you are a parent who wants to protect your child, or a teenager who is interested in getting vaccinated, today's decision is a step closer to that goal.'
The FDA's decision was based on data from a trial involving 2,260 12 to 15 year olds, which showed the vaccine to be safe and highly effective.
According to the FDA, some 1.5 million Covid-19 cases in individuals aged 11 to 17 years old have been reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021.
Acting FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock described the move as a 'significant step in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.'
She added, 'Today's action allows for a younger population to be protected from Covid-19, bringing us closer to returning to a sense of normalcy and to ending the pandemic.'
