Ohio expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to children age 12 to 15

COLUMBUS — Gov. Mike DeWine said Monday the state will expand COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to children age 12 to 15, following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's announcement that the two-dose Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is deemed safe and effective for that age group.

"I am encouraged that the FDA has already updated Pfizer's Emergency Use Authorization to include youth ages 12 to 15," DeWine said in a Monday news release.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the CDC are expected to issue a recommendation to expand eligibility for the Pfizer vaccine on Wednesday, after which the state will "immediately" expand vaccine eligibility to those age groups and issue guidance for parents, guardians and vaccine providers in the state, the governor said.

"Vaccinations are our way back to a more normal life," DeWine said.

The FDA amended the emergency authorization already set for the shot — the first COVID-19 vaccine authorized in the U.S. — opening it up to millions of more Americans. Until now, only people age 16 and older were allowed to get the vaccine.

This story was originally published May 10, 2021 at 10:27 PM with the headline "Ohio expanding COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to children age 12 to 15."