New York State may allow children as young as 12 to start receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine as soon as Thursday, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Tuesday.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on Monday to include people ages 12 to 15.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s vaccine advisory committee is to meet Wednesday and may also approve the emergency use — clearing the way for states to start administering it.
If the CDC approves it, Dr. Howard Zucker, head of the New York State Department of Health, will meet with the state’s Clinical Advisory Task Force and make a final recommendation, Cuomo said in a statement.
That “means we could have full authorization for vaccinations to begin for 12- to 15-year-olds here in New York as early as Thursday,” Cuomo said.
The Pfizer vaccine is the first in the United States to obtain FDA approval for children 12 to 15 years old. Moderna is expected to seek similar approval in coming weeks.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
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