U.S. FDA backs Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot for 12- to 15-year-olds

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the use of a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children aged between 12 and 15 years, and narrowed the time for all booster shots by a month to five months after the primary doses.

The agency on Monday also authorized a third shot in children aged five through 11 years who are immunocompromised.

The regulatory decisions come as COVID-19 cases surge due to the Omicron variant, with health authorities warning that its high transmissibility could overwhelm many health systems.

“Based on the FDA’s assessment of currently available data, a booster