On Dec. 5, 2022, Pfizer and BioNTech announced that the companies had submitted an application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use authorization of their Omicron BA.4/BA.5-adapted bivalent COVID-19 vaccine as the third 3-ﾵg dose in the three-dose primary series for children 6 months through 4 years of age.

With the high level of respiratory illnesses currently circulating among children under 5 years of age, updated COVID-19 vaccines may help prevent severe illness and hospitalization.