FDA Green-Lights Pfizer to Expand Its COVID-19 Vaccine to Children Ages 12-15
Made to Save Executive Director Chris Wyant Released the Following Remarks Regarding the FDA’s Green Light for Pfizer to Expand Its COVID-19 Vaccine to Children Ages 12-15
Washington, D.C. – “As advocates for increased COVID-19 vaccine access, we are pleased with the Federal Drug Administration’s (FDA) authorization of Pfizer’s vaccine to children ages 12-15. Vaccination against COVID-19 infection is the only sure path toward ending the pandemic and this decision puts us one step closer.
“While one clear benefit of the Pfizer vaccine expansion to teens and pre-teens means scores of students can return to school this fall, it also marks a crucial step toward reestablishing normalcy, and allowing each of us to once again enjoy the moments, memories, and people we miss most.
“In our push for increased vaccinations, our particular focus is on communities of color, which are the communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic. This announcement — pending approval from a CDC advisory committee — means that an estimated 8.4 million children in these communities are now eligible for vaccination. Since it is possible for younger people who don’t experience symptoms to transmit the COVID-19 virus asymptomatically, it also means that families and communities will be safer — including immunocompromised individuals and those who are not protected by the vaccine.
“We will continue to advocate for equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccines and reliable information for communities of color who continue to hit obstacles to vaccination. However, vaccination of all age groups, including 12-15-year-olds is essential for a steady road that leads to the end of the pandemic.
“COVID-19 vaccination remains the only way to end the pandemic. It is crucial that parents have their children vaccinated as soon as they are eligible. If they have not yet been COVID-19 vaccinated, parents should be vaccinated as soon as possible and tell their family and friends to do the same.”
