The Food and Drug Administration is expected to authorize Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for administration to adolescents by early next week, according to a federal health official with knowledge of the agency’s plans.
The move would allow many American middle- and high-school students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 well before the start of the next school year, using a shot Pfizer claims demonstrated “100% efficacy” in children as young as 12 years old with side effects similar to those that have been appearing in young adults.