A doctor loads a dose of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine into a needle at a mobile vaccine clinic.
Steven Senne.
The CDC's advisers voted on Wednesday to recommend that adolescents receive a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster five months after being immunized.
The advisers voted in favor of the change. The booster shots could be available for children as early as this week if the recommendation is approved by the CDC director.
The Pfizer-BioNTech booster was authorized by the FDA earlier this week, as well as shortening the time between the completion of primary vaccination of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and the booster dose from six months to five.
The FDA needed to quickly adapt to the evolving COVID-19 virus and use the best available science to make informed decisions with the health and safety of the American public in mind, according to acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D.
The CDC's Walensky urged eligible Americans to get a COVID booster as soon as possible.
"As we have done throughout the Pandemic, we will continue to update our recommendations to ensure the best possible protection for the American people," Walensky said.
She continued, "Today's recommendations ensure people are able to get a boost of protection in the face of omicron and increasing cases across the country, and ensure that the most vulnerable children can get an additional dose to maximize protection against COVID-19."
The recommended shots for those who received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines have not changed.
Those who received a Moderna vaccine should get a booster after six months, while those who received Johnson & Johnson should get one after two months.
