U.S. health officials further lowered the age at which a booster dose of Pfizer’s COVID vaccine can be received on Thursday, allowing it in adolescents aged 16 and 17, when the Omicron variant begins to develop. spread throughout the country.
The announcement comes the day after data was released by the company showing that a booster dose is expected to be crucial in fighting Omicron.
The emergency authorization request was filed by Pfizer-BioNTech less than two weeks ago.
This dose can only be received at least six months after the first series of injections, announced the United States Medicines Agency (Food and Drug Administration, FDA).
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) then also recommended this booster dose for adolescents in this age group.
Recall against Omicron
“Even though we don’t have all the answers about the Omicron variant, preliminary data suggests that COVID-19 boosters help broaden and strengthen protection against Omicron and other variants,” the statement said in a statement. head of CDC, Rochelle Walensky.
“The effectiveness of the vaccine against COVID-19 decreases after the second dose for all adults and for the group of 16 and 17 years”, also justified Peter Marks, scientific director within the FDA.
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the only one authorized in the United States under the age of 18, from 5 years old for the first two shots.
Adolescents are generally much less likely than older adults to develop a severe case of the disease.
Among them, boys in particular are more prone to an increased risk of myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle, after vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.
These cases remain rare, but in recent months had led the authorities to adopt a cautious posture concerning a recall in the youngest.
However, they said Thursday that the balance between benefits and risks was clearly tilted in favor of vaccination.