A vaccinator draws a Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pediatric vaccine in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, U.S., December 5, 2021.
Hannah Beier | Reuters
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized a Pfizer booster dose for children ages 5 through 11 years old.
Dr. Peter Marks, head of the FDA division responsible for vaccines, said vaccine effectiveness wanes over time after the second dose. The FDA determined that the benefits of a third dose in the 5 to 11 age group outweigh the risks, Marks said.
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said although Covid tends to be less severe in children, more kids have been getting sick and hospitalized with virus since the omicron variant became dominant in the U.S. over the winter.
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