Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 booster shot received a greenlight Thursday from the Food and Drug Administration for use in teenagers aged 16 and 17.

In a statement, acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock characterized the decision as a new layer of protection against COVID-19 ahead of the holiday season. Woodcock referred to vaccinations as "our most effective methods for fighting COVID-19."

“As people gather indoors with family and friends for the holidays, we can’t let up on all the preventive public health measures that we have been taking during the pandemic," said Woodcock. "With both the delta and omicron variants continuing to spread, vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19."

Pfizer-BioNTech expressed their delight at the news that their booster was approved for teenagers. In his own statement, Pfizer's CEO Alberto Bourla described the decision as a "critical milestone" in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While new variants, including Omicron, emerge across the globe, we believe that the best way to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and any future variants is getting all eligible people fully vaccinated with the first two-dose series and a booster dose as recommended,” said Bourla.

The FDA’s decision to authorize the booster for teenagers came only weeks after first extending its emergency use authorization on Nov. 19 for adults 18 and older. Under the expanded EUA, 16 and 17-year-old Americans are recommended to receive their booster dose six months after receiving a second dose of either a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or a single dose of Johnson and Johnson's vaccine.

Despite the swiftness of the authorization, the FDA said that they made sure to prioritize safety before issuing their decision. The FDA statement also stated that Pfizer will be conducting post-authorization studies to assess known serious risks related to the vaccines.

The emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 at the onset of winter has thrown the U.S government into a scramble to vaccinate more Americans as they begin to gather and travel for the holiday season.

On Nov. 29, President Joe Biden assured the public that his administration was responding to the Omicron variant with "science and speed." Biden also said that he saw no need to initiate a lockdown over Omicron, but urged Americans to get vaccinated or receive a booster if they already were. These measures, he insisted, would be the best way to avoid more onerous descriptions.

"If people are vaccinated, there is no need for a lockdown," Biden said last week.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 75.9% of Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to date. Children as young as 5 years of age are now allowed to receive a COVID-19 vaccine and boosters became available for all adults as of Nov. 19.

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