Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE have asked U.S. health regulators to allow their Covid-19 vaccine to be given to adolescents, which could make the shots available to children in the coming weeks.
The companies said Friday that they had asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to extend their use of shots to children 12 years and older. The companies also said they plan to make similar requests to regulators in other countries.
The Pfizer BioNTech vaccine is currently approved in the US for people 16 years and older. Shots from Moderna Inc. and Johnson & Johnson is authorized in the US for use in adults 18 years of age and older.
The person familiar with the matter will take a few weeks to review the request. The agent does not intend to ask an outside panel of experts to review the submission.
Health authorities say it will be important to vaccinate children to protect them from the virus and to achieve the community-wide immunity needed to move past the pandemic known as herd immunity.