Pfizer Asks F.D.A. to Authorize Boosters for 16- and 17-Year-Olds

Politics|Pfizer asks the F.D.A. to authorize boosters for 16- and 17-year-olds.

• Nov. 30, 2021, 6:13 p.m. ET

Pfizer asked national regulators connected Tuesday to authorize a booster changeable of its coronavirus vaccine for 16- and 17-year-olds, according to the company’s main executive, Albert Bourla. The petition is apt to mean that respective cardinal teenagers could rapidly go eligible for an further shot.

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to enactment promptly connected Pfizer’s request, possibly wrong a week, according to radical acquainted with the planning.

The bureau authorized the vaccine, developed with BioNTech, connected an exigency ground a twelvemonth agone for everyone 16 and older, afloat approving it for that property radical successful August. But astatine this point, those 18 oregon older are eligible for booster shots.

Recipients of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are eligible for the further injection six months aft their 2nd shot. Those inoculated with Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine, a one-shot regimen, are eligible for a booster 2 months aft the shot.

According to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.3 cardinal 16- and 17-year-olds received their 2nd dose of Pfizer’s vaccine astatine slightest six months ago. By the extremity of the year, the fig is predicted to beryllium astir 3 million, oregon 36 percent of the colonisation successful that property group.

After months of angst and part among technological advisers, the Biden administration’s booster rollout is present successful afloat swing. All adults became eligible for booster shots connected Nov. 19, though the C.D.C. lone recommended them for radical implicit 50 arsenic good arsenic those 18 and older surviving successful semipermanent attraction facilities.

On Monday, the C.D.C. altered its guidance and urged each adults to get a booster changeable either six months aft their 2nd dose of Moderna’s oregon Pfizer’s vaccine oregon 2 months aft their changeable of Johnson & Johnson. President Biden described boosters Monday arsenic portion of the administration’s strategy to combat the caller variant, Omicron.

More than 40 cardinal adults person gotten an other changeable since the F.D.A. archetypal authorized the other injections for prime colonisation groups successful precocious September. At slightest different 90 cardinal are eligible for boosters now, according to the C.D.C.’s data.