The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation to expand the eligibility of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 booster for ages 12 to 15 was endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) on Wednesday.

The CDC has endorsed no other COVID-19 booster manufacturer for 12- to 15-year-olds.

The national public health agency has also recommended that people get the Pfizer-BioNTech booster five months after the initial round of doses, which is lower than the initial recommendation of six months.

Amid a surge in Omicron cases around the world, the CDC cites the ability of boosters to broaden and strengthen protection against COVID-19 variants. After reviewing the administration of 25 million vaccine doses in teens, it decided that Pfizer-BioNTech’s booster for younger people is effective and safe.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is administered in a lower dosage and comes in a paediatric vial with an orange cap
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is administered in a lower dosage and comes in a paediatric vial with an orange cap AFP / Tobias SCHWARZ

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends Pfizer-BioNTech’s or Moderna’s booster shots in most cases, regardless of which course of vaccinations a person received initially. However, Moderna’s booster, like Johnson & Johnson’s, has not been recommended for anyone below the age of 18.

As of Jan. 4, the global number of recorded cases of COVID-19, including all variants, sits at 292 million — which is likely an undercount. Global deaths total 5.44 million. The U.S. has the most cases worldwide with 56,149,588 and deaths with 827,726.

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