WASHINGTON — The CDC is endorsing the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation to expand eligibility of booster doses to those 12 to 15 years old. CDC now recommends that adolescents age 12 to 17 years old should receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series.
“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from COVID-19 infection and the complications of severe disease,”CDC Director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky said. “Today, I endorsed ACIP’s vote to expand eligibility and strengthen our recommendations for booster doses.”
Data show that COVID-19 boosters help broaden and strengthen protection against Omicron and other SARS-CoV-2 variants. ACIP reviewed the available safety data following the administration of over 25 million vaccine doses in adolescents; COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
“We now recommend that all adolescents aged 12-17 years should receive a booster shot 5 months after their primary series,” Walensky said. “This booster dose will provide optimized protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant. I encourage all parents to keep their children up to date with CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.”
At this time, only the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for adolescents aged 12-17.
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