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Children 5 and older are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster shot five months after completing their initial two-dose regimen.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) gave the final approval Thursday, May 20, after its advisory committee of independent experts deemed the additional shot beneficial at increasing protection against severe COVID-19. The move follows a similar approval process completed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
“Today, I endorsed ACIP’s vote to expand eligibility for COVID-19 vaccine booster doses,” said Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC’s director, in a prepared statement.
“With over 18 million doses administered in this age group, we know that these vaccines are safe, and we must continue to increase the number of children who are protected. I encourage parents to keep their children up to date with CDC’s COVID-19 vaccine recommendations.”
Children do not typically have as severe of cases of COVID-19 as older populations, though there have been serious cases. Throughout the pandemic, more than 4.8 million children ages 5 to 11 have been diagnosed with COVID-19 throughout the country. Among them, 15,000 have been hospitalized and more than 180 have died, according to the CDC.
In her statement announcing the expanded eligibility Thursday, Walensky also strengthened the CDC’s recommendation for individuals 12 and older who are immunocompromised, and all individuals 50 and older, to receive a second booster dose four months after the first.
To find a vaccine near you, visit vaccines.gov and select the “Find COVID-19 Vaccine & Boosters” button, or contact your health department, pharmacy or primary care physician.