Pfizer vaccine

A syringe is prepared with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Chester, Pa., on Dec. 15, 2021. Pfizer says tweaking its COVID-19 vaccine to better target the omicron variant is safe and boosts protection.

Health & Safety

Pfizer says its tweaked COVID-19 shots boost protection against the omicron variant

11:14am June 25, 2022

by The Associated Press

Pfizer said that tweaking its vaccine to better target the omicron variant is safe and works — just days before regulators debate whether to offer Americans updated booster shots this fall.

A medical staff member prepares a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up site in New York City last October.

Health & Safety

Pfizer vaccine's protection against COVID wanes quickly in kids ages 5-11, study says

9:45pm February 28, 2022

New research out of New York found the protection of the vaccine against infection in kids ages 5 to 11 dropped from 68% to 12%.

A woman receives a booster shot at a pop-up vaccination clinic in Las Vegas on Dec. 21.

Health & Safety

The CDC now recommends Pfizer boosters after 5 months, down from 6

1:37pm January 04, 2022

by Becky Sullivan

The move to shorten the Pfizer booster interval comes as the U.S. shatters daily case records. The recommended interval for those who received Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines has not changed.

A health care worker administers a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at a senior living facility in Worcester, Pa., in August.

The FDA authorizes COVID booster shots for all U.S. adults

10:08am November 19, 2021

by Scott Neuman

The FDA on Friday granted emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna booster shots. The boosters have already been available for people 65 and older and to high-risk adults.

Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for young children is a lower-dose formulation of the companies' adult vaccine. It was found to be safe and nearly 91% effective at preventing COVID-19.

CDC recommends Pfizer's COVID vaccine for children ages 5 through 11

9:41pm November 02, 2021

Kids ages 5 to 11 will soon be able to get Pfizer's low-dose COVID vaccine. CDC director Rochelle Walensky agreed with a unanimous decision of a team of advisers that the benefits outweigh the risks.

Ari Blank got a comforting hand-squeeze from his mom in May as he was vaccinated against COVID-19 in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. This week, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the use of Pfizer's vaccine in even younger kids — ages 5 to 11.

FDA authorizes use of Pfizer's COVID vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds

5:54pm October 29, 2021

by Joe Neel

The agency acted after an independent panel of scientists strongly supported the move. Kids could start getting vaccinated within the week.

A study by the National Institutes of Health this week suggests people who got the J&J vaccine as their initial vaccination against the coronavirus may get their best protection from choosing an mRNA vaccine as the booster.

A study of COVID vaccine boosters suggests Moderna or Pfizer works best

5:26pm October 13, 2021

by Rob Stein

Should people who get a COVID booster get a different vaccine from their original shot? The results of a highly anticipated study suggest that in some cases the answer may be yes.

The CDC's new research found that those who were vaccinated were nearly five times less likely to get infected, 10 times less likely to get so sick they ended up in the hospital and 11 times less likely to die.

Unvaccinated People Are 11 Times More Likely To Die Of COVID-19, New Research Finds

7:20pm September 10, 2021

by Vanessa Romo

The COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide powerful protection, even against the delta variant, the CDC said. It also found that vaccinated people were 10 times less likely to be hospitalized.

A Palestinian medic administers a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID vaccine during an inoculation campaign at a medical center in Gaza City on Aug. 23.

Health & Safety

Why Pfizer's FDA Approval Matters And What It Means For Vaccine Mandates

6:01pm August 24, 2021

by Deepa Shivaram

The FDA announced the Pfizer vaccine is the first in the U.S. that is now fully approved. Here's what that means for vaccine mandates and convincing vaccine-hesitant people to get vaccinated.

Federal health officials are planning ahead to give booster shots in the fall to all U.S. adults, starting with those who were vaccinated early on, like the elderly, health care workers and first responders.

COVID Booster Shots Are Coming. Here's What You Need To Know

10:55am August 19, 2021

If all goes to plan, Americans who got Pfizer or Moderna shots can get a third dose eight months after their last jab. Here's why health officials think you'll need one.