Pfizer could seek approval for booster shots aimed at 16 and 17 year olds
DORAL, FL – Booster shots against the coronavirus aimed at 16 and 17 year olds could become a reality if Pfizer and BioNTech get regulatory approval of them.
A source who is familiar with the company’s plans said to the Washington Post they are intended to apply for a booster for this population as soon as this week. If their plans succeed, Pfizer/BioNTech would become the first pharmaceutical to offer extra protection for people under 18.
U.S. residents older than 18 can already access to booster shots of both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines which have been highly encouraged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention amid concerns over the Omicron variant although it is still to be determined if the current available vaccines can actually protect against this variant or need to be modified.
The recommendation coming from the agency is for adults to get a booster shot after six months past the initial immunization with the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines, or two months after the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The news come after the world announced last week the variant coming from South Africa, known as Omicron, is increasing cases around 14 countries where the variant has been spotted. In the United States Omicron has yet to be detected while scientists are still trying to figure out how much of a threat it will pose.
About it, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday the variant is “a cause for concern, not a cause for panic.”
“I’m sparing no effort, removing all roadblocks to keep the American people safe,” Mr. Biden said at the White House.
Biden told the country he is not considering new shutdowns or lockdowns, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is on the same boat.
“Whatever this variant is, the fact that you identify some in Southern Africa that does not mean that it’s not in any corner of the globe, it’s an airborne respiratory virus so I think those restrictions are not going to work,” Desantis said.
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