The Biden administration purchased an additional 200 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine to prepare for potential additional vaccine needs in the US. Despite the slowing demand for Covid-19 vaccines, the administration official said the additional shots would be needed for children under 12, pending approval from the US Food and Drug Administration, and the possibility of booster shots for vaccinated individuals.

"The federal government is exercising an option in its contract with Pfizer to purchase 200 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to be delivered between fall 2021 and spring 2022 to prepare for future vaccination needs, including vaccines for children under 12 and possible booster shots if studies show they are necessary," the official said. The official noted that Pfizer has agreed to "provide the US with 65 million pediatric doses should its vaccine be approved for kids under 12, including doses available immediately upon authorization."

Currently, none of the three Covid-19 vaccines used in the US is available to children under the age of 12. With many schools across the United States now just weeks from reopening for the fall semester, Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are still conducting clinical trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the vaccines in children under 12.

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