Pfizer asks FDA to approve its COVID vaccine, which is for children aged 5-11 years old
Click to enlarge the image. Caption: Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Pfizer and BioNTech have asked the Biden administration for permission to use their COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 5-11 years.
Pfizer tweeted Thursday that the companies had submitted a formal request for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the vaccine to FDA.
The pharmaceutical giant stated that "new cases in children in the U.S. continue to be at a high standard, so this submission is an essential step in our ongoing effort towards #COVID19."
This submission is the latest in a push to expand the use of the vaccine for younger children. Many anxious parents are closely watching this process as the school year begins.
Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved by the FDA for adults 16 years and over. Children between 12 and 15 years can receive the shot under current emergency use authorization.
After BioNTech and Pfizer submitted data last month to the government showing that their vaccine produced an "excellent" immune response in children aged 5-11 years old and that it had favorable safety outcomes, widespread anticipation was created for the application.
Pfizer's request for authorization of its vaccine for children 5-11 years old has been scheduled for October 26 by the FDA.
The FDA could then quickly grant authorization. However, if there are issues with the application, that process could be rescheduled.
