Pfizer on Friday requested that the use of its Covid-19 vaccine be extended to teens aged 12 to 15.
The request calls on the Food and Drug Administration to amend the authorization for emergency use, which the FDA originally granted to people aged 16 and older late last year.
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Last week, Pfizer-BioNTech said its Phase 3 clinical trials showed that the vaccine was safe and 100 percent effective in 12- to 15-year-olds, although the findings were not reviewed by the peer.
“The hope is to start vaccinating this age group before the start of next school year,” CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement when the results were announced.
According to an NBC News database, a third of Americans received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine. To vaccinate the entire population, vaccines for children must be allowed.
Pfizer is also studying how well the vaccine works in children aged 6 months to 11 years. The first doses in the trial were administered in March.
The move comes as a result of Covid-19 infections among younger teens and children causing outbreaks in some states. In Michigan, for example, the rate for children ages 10 to 19 is high, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
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