Pfizer and BioNTech asked the Food and Drug Administration on Friday to extend emergency authorization for the COVID vaccine to teens ages 12 to 15.
Why it matters: The authorization will broaden the vaccination effort and speed up the country’s race for herd immunity, a goal that ultimately requires teens and children to be vaccinated as well.
The whole picture: A trial of more than 2,200 children between the ages of 12 and 15 found that the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine is 100% effective against the coronavirus.
- “Around the world, we long for a normal life. This is especially true for our children,” Ugur Sahin, CEO and co-founder of BioNTech, said in March.
- Pfizer and BioNTech announced last month that the first doses were administered in a trial for children aged 6 months to 11 years.
Go deeper: The pandemic’s toll on teens