Murray, NEB-Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) revised Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine’s approval. According to an FDA news release from Thursday, Dec. 9, the vaccine boosters are now available as young as 16. Previously, they had only been available for ages 18 and up. Individuals must have completed their initial vaccine regimen at least six months prior to receiving the booster.

The release states that their decision was based on a study of the immune responses of approximately 200 individuals.They analyzed the antibody response against the SARS-CoV-2 virus one month after receiving the booster. According to the data, the individuals, ranging in age from 18 to 55, displayed a booster response compared to one month after the second dose of their initial vaccination.

The FDA analyzed real-world data on the potential risks associated with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. With this and the initial safety and effectiveness data submitted by Pfizer, they were able to reassess the benefits and risks associated with the vaccine. They concluded that the benefits of continued protection against covid-19 and the serious symptoms associated with it outweighed the risks of serious side effects from the vaccine.

With this move, vaccines become even more widely available. Hopefully, it helps to bring an end to the ever perpetuating pandemic.