The Food and Drug Administration moved to give Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine emergency use authorization for American children ages 5 to 11. The Friday decision, which was expected, was heralded as a "watershed moment," "transformative news" for parents, and a "hotly anticipated" milestone in the effort to end the pandemic.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine got the green light from the FDA, and now just needs to be recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That recommendation may come shortly after a Nov. 2 CDC committee meeting.
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"Vaccinating younger children against COVID-19 will bring us closer to returning to a sense of normalcy," said acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock. "Our comprehensive and rigorous evaluation of the data pertaining to the vaccine's safety and effectiveness should help assure parents and guardians that this vaccine meets our high standards."
If and when CDC Director Rochelle Walensky signs off on emergency authorization for the age group next week, providers will be able to begin administering shots same-day.
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