On Thursday, the FDA announced that it is expanding the emergency use authorization of the Covid vaccine developed by Pfizer & BioNTech to allow for booster shots in 16 and 17-year-olds. The decision follows last month’s authorization of boosters for all adults 18 and older.
There’s been a renewed urgency for booster shots in the face of rising Covid cases worldwide as well as the spread of the omicron variant. On Wednesday, Pfizer and BioNTech released preliminary data showing that immunity against omicron wanes after only two shots but is dramatically bolstered after a booster dose.
“The booster vaccination increases the level of immunity and dramatically improves protection against COVID-19 in all age groups studied so far,” BioNTech CEO UÄur ahin said in a press release. “In the current situation, it is important to offer everyone a booster, particularly against the background of the newly emerging variants such as Omicron.”
