The U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended its emergency-use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine on Sept. 22, approving it for a single booster dose at least six months after an individual’s second shot.
The FDA said in a news release those persons included in the provision include everyone 65 years of age and older, individuals 18 to 64 at high risk of severe COVID-19 and individuals 18 to 64 whose frequent institutional or occupational exposure to the coronavirus puts them at high risk of serious complications from COVID-19.
“The FDA amended the EUA (Emergency Use Authorization) for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to allow for a booster dose in certain populations such as health care workers, teachers and day care staff, grocery workers and those in homeless shelters or prisons, among others,” acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said.
The news comes just a few days after Pfizer announced results of a trial for the COVID-19 vaccine in children ages 5 to 11 years old.
The evidence showed children who received a second vaccine dose, which was one-third of the original dose given to adults, developed coronavirus-fighting antibody levels just as strong as teenagers and young adults getting the regular-strength shots.
