Around 8.2 million are fully vaccinated, almost half. Adults and children ages 5 years and older should get the second shot even if they have side effects after the first shot, unless a vaccination provider or doctor says not to get it. This is extraordinary for a virus vaccine the annual flu vaccine, for example, is sometimes in the 50-60 range of effectiveness at best, but is still so helpful at preventing illness that.
That’s how many teens aged 12-15 have already received at least one shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, according to CDC data, nearly 60% of some 17 million who are eligible. The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine both need 2 shots to complete the primary series. Clinical trial data shows that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are 95 and 94.1 effective, respectively, at preventing COVID-19 illness.
Full authorization could change this, however, and the only state mandate for vaccination for K-12 students-California-is contingent on FDA approval. You can also chat with our Virtual Assistant at for any COVID-19 vaccine, registration, and scheduling questions.
While all states have the power to require vaccination among students attending school-many do for diseases like polio and measles-few have started to grapple with mandatory Covid-19 vaccination. Vaccination would also make the return to school safer come fall, though it introduced a complicating factor as to whether schools would mandate the shot. While children and teenagers have a much lower chance of developing severe illness or dying from Covid-19, they can and do develop life threatening illness and die from Covid-19 and officials and experts hailed the shot’s emergency authorization as a way of tackling soaring infections and hospitalizations among children as the delta variant spread across the country. The Pfizer-BioNTech shot was approved for adolescents ages 12-15 on an emergency basis in mid-May. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said the findings are “especially important” given the rising rates of Covid-19 in this age group in some regions while vaccine uptake slows. Learn more about frequently asked questions regarding the COVID-19 vaccine and the steps we at Big Y and our Pharmacy are taking for safe distribution. Vaccines VACCINE TRACKER Vaccine Insights Questions about Vaccines Report Series: A PRIMER ON COVID-19 VACCINE DEVELOPMENT, ALLOCATION AND DEPLOYMENT COVID.