WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Food and Drug Administration has issued approval for a booster shot of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as 12.
The Pfizer vaccine is the first booster shot to receive emergency authorization for young teens and pre-teens.
Also eligible are those 5 to 11 years old who are immunocompromised.
The Centers for Disease Control are expected to give its final approval on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, how the return to school is being handled depends on the district and sometimes the school, but the advice is the same.
"Talk to your officials at the schools," said Dr. Stanley Spinner, chief medical officer and vice president of the Texas Children's Pediatrics and Texas Children's Urgent Care. "Be sure everyone there is wearing masks if possible. Talk to them about keeping the doors and windows open."
And President Biden will meet with the White House's COVID response team on Tuesday. Then, he's scheduled to update the American people on where we currently stand.
Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine was approved for use in adolescents in May, and the CDC has recommended adults seek a booster shot six months after their final dose. That means that many teens will immediately be eligible for additional shots as soon as they are available.
The move comes as the U.S. deals with a surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the highly contagious omicron variant. While the new strain has shown to be slightly more resistant to vaccines, health officials say vaccines and booster shots offer significant protection against severe disease and death.