FDA is Expected on Monday to Allow Booster Vaccine for Ages 12 to 15

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday is planning to authorize booster doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine for 12- to 15-year-olds, the New York Times reported, citing people familiar with the agency's deliberations.

U.S. regulators also plan to allow both adolescents and adults to get an extra shot of Pfizer's vaccine five months after receiving a second dose instead of the current period of six months, the Times said on Thursday.

A booster shot is also expected to be authorized for children aged 5 to 11 with immune deficiencies, the newspaper said. It said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee plans to meet by the middle of next week to vote on whether to recommend the changes.

The FDA declined to comment on the report.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, in an interview with CNN on Wednesday, said a third COVID-19 vaccine dose for children aged 12-15 could be days or weeks away from approval.

While U.S. officials have said vaccinations protect against serious illness and death from the omicron variant, some children aged 12-15 are now more than six months out from their earlier inoculations