Fri, May 5th, 2023 - 1:58pm
January 05, 2022 - 7:36pm | By Ty Schonert
(Washington, D.C) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's panel of experts officially endorsed the authorization of both Pfizer and BioNTech's booster shots for teens ages 12-15 years old.
The decision came down to a 13-1 vote, which recommended that the teens get the booster at least five months after their second shot. The shots will not be made available until CDC Director Rochelle Walensky officially signs off on the endorsement, a decision she could make before this week's end.
The decision comes as pediatric cases of COVID-19 have begun to increase. 3,800 kids have been hospitalized with COVID-19 related illness across the country as of Wednesday, a 64% increase from last week, and the highest level since the Department of Health and Human Services began tracking cases.
The lone committee member to vote against the decision, Dr. Keipp Talbot, says she supports boosters, but wanted to vaccinate all eligible children with their first two shots should take priority over boosters.
