FDA Authorizes Pfizer COVID Booster Shot For 16- And 17-Year-Olds

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized Pfizer's COVID-19 booster shot for people ages 16 and 17. They would be eligible for the booster shot six months after receiving the second dose of the vaccine.

"The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine has been available to individuals 16 years of age and older for nearly a year, and its benefits have been shown to clearly outweigh potential risks," Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a press release.

"Since we first authorized the vaccine, new evidence indicates that vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 is waning after the second dose of the vaccine for all adults and for those in the 16- and 17-year-old age group. A single booster dose of the vaccine for those vaccinated at least six months prior will help provide continued protection against COVID-19 in this and older age groups."

Currently, 2.6 million teenagers are eligible to receive the booster shot.

Acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock urged those who are fully vaccinated to get the booster shot.

"Vaccination and getting a booster when eligible, along with other preventive measures like masking and avoiding large crowds and poorly ventilated spaces, remain our most effective methods for fighting COVID-19," she said. "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."