Pfizer is asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expand the emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine booster shot to cover everybody over the age of 18.
Pfizer cited data from a Phase 3 trial showing that the booster shot had a 95% efficacy against symptomatic COVID infections compared to those who only received two doses.
Currently, the FDA has approved a booster shot for Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines for people over the age of 65, those who have a high risk of developing severe complications from COVID-19, and those who have jobs that put that at an increased risk of exposure to the virus. In addition, the FDA has also authorized booster shots for anybody over 18 who received Johnson & Johnson's single-dose vaccine.
If approved, the authorization would allow a majority of vaccinated Americans to get the booster shot. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 107 million people are fully vaccinated with Pfizer's vaccine, compared to 71 million who got Moderna's and 15 million who received Johnson & Johnson's vaccine.
As of November 8, over 25 million Americans have received a booster dose, accounting for 13.1% of people who are considered fully vaccinated.