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An expert panel on Wednesday recommended that Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine be offered to adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15, opening the door to vaccinating this age group in coming weeks — and before the start of the next school year. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted 14 to 0 in support of the recommendation, making the Pfizer vaccine the first to be offered to children under the age of 16. (Branswell, 5/12)

Vaccinations of adolescents have already begun in a few states, like Maine. Others plan to offer the vaccine as early as Thursday. There are nearly 17 million 12- to 15-year-olds in the United States, accounting for 5.3 percent of the population. Nearly all states now have a supply of vaccine doses that could be quickly redirected to adolescents. The dose used to immunize adults is also safe and effective for these adolescents, clinical trials have shown. (Mandavilli, 5/12)

The advisory committee’s recommendation, which CDC Director Rochelle Walensky officially adopted Wednesday night, clears the way for roughly 17 million young teens to be vaccinated nationwide starting this week. It's a significant step towards sending children back to school and delivering on President Joe Biden’s promise of broad vaccination by this summer. "We're ready," Biden said at the White House shortly after the vote. "This new population is going to find the vaccine rollout fast and efficient." (Owermohle and Foley, 5/12)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Wednesday endorsed the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine in children as young as 12, paving the way for millions of adolescents to get the shots and making it easier for state and local officials to reopen schools and summer camps. The decision was hailed by President Biden “as one more giant step in our fight against the pandemic,” and he called on parents to get their children inoculated. “The bottom line is this: A vaccine for kids between the ages of 12 and 15 … [is] safe, effective, easy, fast and free,” he said. “So my hope is that parents will take advantage of the vaccine and get their kids vaccinated.” (Sun and Nirappil, 5/12)

CVS Health announced Wednesday that COVID-19 vaccines appointments for young teenagers ages 12 to 15 years old are now available for scheduling at more than 5,600 pharmacy locations nationwide. The news follows the Food and Drug Administration approving the two-shot vaccine for Emergency Use Authorization for this age group Monday. Starting Thursday, 23 CVS retail pharmacy locations in Rhode Island and 154 in Massachusetts will begin administering the Pfizer vaccine to this newly eligible population. Parents or legal guardian consent is required and children must be accompanied by an adult. (Gagosz, 5/12)

Parental consent will be needed, but exactly how it’s obtained could vary. For vaccinations at school-based clinics, for example, parents might be able to give consent by signing a form, said Dr. Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention and president of Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Walgreens said a parent or guardian will need to be present and sign a consent form, but noted guidelines on parental consent vary by jurisdiction. (Choi, 5/12)

Five teens on Wednesday joined more than 20 million Texans who have received their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, less than two hours after federal health officials officially recommended the distribution of the vaccine to 12- to 15-year-olds nationwide. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for emergency use in 12- to 15-year olds on Monday, in a move that experts expect to boost flagging vaccination rates across the country. Under the new guidelines, 17 million adolescents, or more than 5 percent of the U.S. population, are now eligible for the vaccine. (Wu and Garcia, 5/12)

“We are ready to go," said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at a Wednesday morning news conference, acknowledging that state health care providers "will begin administering vaccines to Michiganders 12-15 so that they can be safe from COVID-19 as well" as soon as it won authorization. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, the state's chief medical executive and chief deputy director for health, called the expansion "an important milestone for our children." (Jordan Shamus and Hall, 5/12)

COVID-19 vaccinations are expected to begin Thursday in Oregon for youth age 12 to 15, according to top state health officials. Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen said he anticipates “all the final approvals will be in place” by the end of the day Wednesday and vaccinations can begin Thursday. (Green, 5/12)

Now that both the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have green-lighted Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in kids ages 12 to 15, pediatricians will soon find themselves on the front lines of the country's vaccination efforts, playing an essential role in communicating to parents the safety and importance of getting their kids the shot. That's a tall order for pediatricians who say they're facing skyrocketing vaccine hesitancy among families. (Edwards, 5/13)