The FDA also shortened the time for booster shots from at least six months after completion of the initial series to at least five months, for everyone aged 12 and older.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday expanded the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine boosters to children ages 12 to 15.
The FDA also shortened the time for booster shots from at least six months after completion of the initial series to at least five months, for everyone aged 12 and older.
The agency has determined that the protective health benefits of a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to provide continued protection against COVID-19 and the associated serious consequences outweigh the potential risks in individuals ages 12 to 15.
The agency said that it found "no new safety concerns" following a booster shot in young teenagers, and that there were no new reports of two types of heart inflammation called myocarditis or pericarditis linked to the boosters.
The decision came as the Omicron variant is spreading rapidly across the United States and has led to record high hospitalizations among younger people.
