PFIZER and BioNTech will likely apply for approval of their vaccine for children as young as 5 years of age within the next couple of weeks, according to recent news reports. The news comes as schools have reopened across the U.S., amid a sharp rise in children hospitalizations due to the dominance of the highly-transmissible delta variant.

“In the coming weeks we will present the results of our study on the 5 to 11-year-olds worldwide to the authorities and apply for approval of the vaccine for this age group, including in Europe,” Dr. Özlem Türeci, chief physician and co-founder of BioNTech, told German news site Der Spiegel. “We’re already preparing for production.”

The vaccine is the same as that given to adults, but will be given as a lower dose for children, she added.

Currently, only children ages 12 years and up are authorized to receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the U.S. The other two vaccines being administered in the U.S., Moderna’s and Johnson and Johnson’s, have not yet been approved for those younger than 18.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a statement Friday saying they will “follow the science” on COVID-19 vaccine approvals for children.

“Just like every vaccine decision we’ve made during this pandemic, our evaluation of data on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in children will not cut any corners,” Dr. Janet Woodcock, FDA commissioner and Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s center for biologics research and evaluation wrote in the statement.

“Until we authorize or approve a vaccine for this younger population, it’s especially important that parents and others who interact closely with children under 12 years of age get vaccinated, wear masks, and follow other recommended precautions so that we can protect those who cannot yet protect themselves through vaccination,” they wrote.

Türeci, and her husband and co-founder of BioNTech Uğur Şahin said everything possible must be done to convince people who are eligible but currently undecided to vaccinate in the next few weeks, according to Der Spiegel.

“As a society, we still have around 60 days to avoid a harsh winter,” Şahin said. “We should do what we can to mobilize as many people as possible in these two months.”

Vaccine data on children and infants as young as six months of age will likely be available by the end of the year, according to Der Spiegel.(SD-Agencies)