• Video
  • Shop
  • Culture
  • Family
  • Wellness
  • Food
  • Living
  • Style
  • Travel
  • News
  • Book Club
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • Terms of Use
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Contact Us
  • © 2026 ABC News
ABC News

COVID-19 updates: Pfizer vaccine highly effective in children 5-11

PHOTO:A medical staff member prepares a syringe with a vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a pop up vaccine clinic at the Jewish Community Center in the Staten Island, N.Y., April 16, 2021.
3:13
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images, FILE
Pfizer releases new details on shot efficacy in children
By Julia Jacobo, Ivan Pereira, Emily Shapiro, Meredith Deliso
Last Updated: October 22, 2021, 9:11 PM

More than 731,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 while over 4.9 million people have died from the disease worldwide, according to real-time data compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Just 66.9% of Americans ages 12 and up are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Latest headlines:

  • Pfizer vaccine highly effective in children 5-11
  • CDC signs off on Moderna, J&J boosters
  • US vaccination initiation average at one of its lowest points
Here's how the news developed. All times Eastern.

Oct 22, 2021 9:11 PM

Your guide to booster eligibility 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have now signed off on boosters for all three COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the U.S., after Thursday's recommendation for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson shots.

Unsure if you're eligible to receive any of them? Check out ABC News' handy guide.

There are different rules for different kinds of COVID-19 vaccine boosters. When is it your turn? @ABC News breaks it down.https://t.co/6z83qPGxnK pic.twitter.com/UD8NWoDblO

— ABC News (@ABC) October 22, 2021

Oct 22, 2021 6:29 PM

Delta doesn't cause more severe illness than prior variants: CDC 

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that although the delta variant is significantly more transmissible than prior variants, it is not more likely to lead to hospitalization.

Instead, the dramatic uptick in hospitalizations seen during the summer's delta surge was fueled by the highly transmissible variant spreading easily among mostly unvaccinated people, the CDC said. 

The report, which analyzed COVID-19 hospitalization data from 14 states, also found that the proportion of people aged 18 to 49 hospitalized with delta increased "significantly" in July and August to 35.8% of all hospitalizations compared to 24.7% from January to June of this year. This was likely due to lower vaccination rates among younger people, the CDC said.

-ABC News' Sony Salzman


Oct 22, 2021 12:56 PM

Pfizer vaccine highly effective in children 5-11

The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is nearly 91% effective against symptomatic illness in children ages 5-11, according to new data posted Friday ahead of a major FDA advisory committee meeting on Tuesday.

The vaccine also appeared safe, with none of the children experiencing a rare heart inflammation side effect known as myocarditis. If authorized in children 5-11, the Pfizer vaccine will be given at a smaller, one-third dose.

This efficacy estimate is from the company's clinical trial of 2,268 children in which some children got a placebo, and some children got the Pfizer vaccine. During the trial, 16 children who got the placebo shots developed COVID-19. Only three children who got the real vaccine developed COVID-19.

A small number of the children who were vaccinated and later developed COVID-19 experienced symptoms far fewer and milder than the children who were unvaccinated. For example, none of the vaccinated children developed a fever, while a majority of the unvaccinated children developed a fever along with other symptoms.

None of the children experienced serious adverse events. Many experienced typical symptoms like pain at the injection site, fatigue and headache. 

The FDA's advisers will meet Tuesday to vote on whether to authorize the vaccine. From there, the FDA itself and the CDC will need to sign off -- a process that can take several days -- before shots could become available to children nationally.

- ABC News' Sony Salzman



Oct 22, 2021 12:39 AM

CDC signs off on Moderna, J&J boosters

Hours after the unanimous vote from its independent advisory committee, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has signed off on recommending booster shots for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines for certain populations.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky recommended boosters for Pfizer and Moderna recipients with no preference on the brand, leaving that decision up to the individual.

People who are 65 and older, or individuals as young as 18 who have underlying medical conditions or live in high-risk or long-term care settings, are eligible to receive either a Pfizer or Moderna booster at least six months after their second shot, the CDC said.

The one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine is eligible to anyone aged 18 and up, at least two months after their initial dose, the CDC said.

-ABC News' Eric Strauss


Oct 21, 2021 6:56 PM

US vaccination initiation average at one of its lowest points

The U.S. vaccination initiation average is at one of its lowest points since the introduction of vaccines nearly 10 months ago, according to federal data. Just over 182,000 Americans are receiving their first dose each day, while roughly 335,000 Americans are receiving a booster shot each day.

More than 112.5 million Americans remain unvaccinated and about 64.3 million of the unvaccinated are over the age of 12, and thus currently eligible for a shot, according to federal data. 

The FDA authorized boosters for Moderna and J&J late Wednesday. The Moderna booster is authorized for adults 65 and older and those at high-risk. The J&J booster is authorized for adults at least two months after their primary vaccination.

The FDA said it's OK to mix a booster but did not say any booster combination was preferred over another.

-ABC News' Sony Salzman, Arielle Mitropoulos


GMA Newsletters

Sign up for our newsletters to get GMA delivered to your inbox every morning!

Up Next in wellness

PHOTO: Shaina Montiel describes her experience surviving hantavirus in an interview that aired May 12, 2026, on "Good Morning America."

American who survived hantavirus in 1993 outbreak describes her symptoms and recovery

May 12, 2026
PHOTO: Bedford Erickson, 3, has captured the hearts of hundreds of thousands of followers on social media who follow his journey living with a rare condition called Schwartz-Jampel syndrome.

3-year-old with rare disease helps raise $500K for inclusive playground

May 12, 2026
Healthy lifestyle and medical concept

PCOS gets a new name: What to know about the most common hormonal issue affecting women

May 12, 2026

The latest lifestyle and entertainment news and inspiration for how to live your best life - all from Good Morning America.
  • Contests
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Children’s Online Privacy Policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Your US State Privacy Rights
  • Interest-Based Ads
  • About Nielsen Measurement
  • Press
  • Feedback
  • Shop FAQs
  • ABC News
  • ABC
  • All Videos
  • All Topics
  • Sitemap

© 2026 ABC News
  • Privacy Policy— 
  • Your US State Privacy Rights— 
  • Children's Online Privacy Policy— 
  • Interest-Based Ads— 
  • Terms of Use— 
  • Do Not Sell My Info— 
  • Contact Us— 

© 2026 ABC News