In reversal, FDA puts brakes on COVID shots for kids under 5

By LAURAN NEERGAARD and MATTHEW PERRONE
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators have put the brakes on their push to speed Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to children under 5. Friday’s move means another monthslong delay for the shots. The Food and Drug Administration had urged Pfizer to apply before its study was even finished on whether the youngsters needed two shots or three. The agency cited the toll the omicron variant has taken on children. But Friday, the FDA reversed course and said it needed to see how well three shots worked. Pfizer said in a statement that it expected that data by early April.