FDA authorizes use of Pfizer vaccine for kids 12 and over

Potentially major news for travel tonight: the Food and Drug Administration has authorized the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids aged 12-15 years old in the United States.

It's a crucial step in the fight against the pandemic and could mean many more families booking travel. Many parents have been waiting to hear about vaccinations for kids before booking family trips. Still, it's not the final step before vaccinations can begin for that age group. The Centers for Disease Control will need to meet to review the data and sign-off. That meeting could take place in the next few days, and then vaccinations could begin immediately after that.

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In a statement the agency said, "FDA has determined that Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine has met the statutory criteria to amend the EUA (Emergency Use Authorization), and that the known and potential benefits of this vaccine in individuals 12 years of age and older outweigh the known and potential risks, supporting the vaccine’s use."

Related: Where you can go with a vaccine passport: A country-by-country guide

Pfizer's senior VP of vaccine and clinical research and development, William Gruber, told Bloomberg in an interview, that "Children may be a "remaining engine fueling the pandemic. It's important for us to attack that."

In fact, studies into vaccine use for children younger than 12 are underway, and could get approval as soon as the end of the year.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved for adults in the U.S. after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency-use authorization back in December. It was the first vaccine approved for adults in the United States.

Featured image courtesy Marko Geber/Getty Images.