WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Approval of a third COVID-19 vaccine dose for U.S. children aged 12-15 could be days or weeks away, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told CNN in an interview on Wednesday.
Asked when children in that age group could be eligible to receive a booster shot, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said: “So the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) is looking at that right now. Of course, the CDC will swiftly follow as soon as we hear from them, and I’m hoping to have that in the days to weeks ahead.”
It was not immediately clear, however, that Pfizer Inc and its partner, BioNTech SE — the only manufacturer whose COVID-19 vaccine is approved for kids — has formally filed for FDA approval for a booster dose in children ages 12-15.
U.S. children ages 16 and 17 are eligible for a third booster shot.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Mark Porter)
