A panel of independent vaccine experts was approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pfizer BioNTechChildren aged 12-15 years old will receive Covid booster shots on Wednesday. This is as a result of the unprecedented rise in infections throughout the U.S.

A 13-to-1 vote by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunizing Practices resulted in Pfizer boosters being recommended for children aged 12-15 at least five years after receiving their second dose. Rochelle Wilensky, Director at CDC is expected to approve the recommendation of the committee and make third shots for adolescents available as soon as possible.

As the highly contagious variant of Omicron causes a flood of infections in the larger population, the U.S. is seeing an increase in Covid-infected children being admitted to hospital. Numerous studies show that booster shots can significantly improve your protection from severe infection.

As of Wednesday there are approximately 3800 Covid-infected children, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The seven-day average of data is up 64% from the previous week and represents the highest number since HHS began keeping track of this data in the summer of 2020.

A CDC official, Dr. Sara Oliver, stated that the number of hospitalizations in adolescents between 12 and 15 years has remained stable. She also noted that her data is only up to Dec. 10, so it may not be reflecting new infections.

Oliver stated that boosters are not effective in children aged 12-15 years old, although third shots may increase protection. The U.K. Health Security Agency recently found that boosters can be effective in preventing symptoms. According to the study, the original Pfizer two-dose vaccine is only 10% effective in preventing symptomatic infections 20 weeks following the first dose.

Monday saw the Food and Drug Administration approve Pfizer booster shot for children 12-15 years old at least 5 months after receiving their last dose. The FDA’s director for vaccine safety Dr. Peter Marks told the CDC panel on Monday that Pfizer booster shots for children aged 12-15 months were needed quickly due to the rapid spread of omicron.

Marks stated that the FDA didn’t identify new safety issues after reviewing data from Israel about more than 6000 children who had received Pfizer boosters. No new cases were found of myocarditis nor pericarditis in any of those children. This is rare and uncommon side effect where the heart swells or becomes inflamed.

Sharon Alroy Preis, Israel’s chief of public health, stated that two patients with myocarditis were found in 12-15-year olds following more than 40,000.

Most cases of myocarditis occur after children between 12 and 15 years old receive their second Pfizer vaccine. The CDC’s vaccine safety group found that there were 265 cases in the total number of adolescents aged 12-15 who had received two doses of Pfizer from Dec. 19, 2021. Most cases (221) occurred after receiving the second dose, and 95% of those who were treated were males.

There were 251 cases of myocarditis, and 96% of those who needed to be hospitalized were discharged. This condition is still rare, with 45 reported cases for every 1,000,000 second doses given to boys aged 12-15 years old and 3.8 per million second doses to girls the same age.

Around 47,000 teens between 16 and 17 years old have had Pfizer booster dosages administered in the United States. According to the CDC 95% side effects reported by adolescents were not serious.

Dr. Evelyn Twentyman, a CDC official, told the committee that vaccinations in Israel – where the nation has rolled out a massive booster campaign – showed myocarditis in people ages 16 and older were even more rare following a booster shot.

Director of Texas Children’s Hospital Immunization Program, Dr. Julie Bloom told the committee that it was impossible to get a booster recommendation soon enough for children 12 and over.

Bloom stated that children aged 12 years and over who have been vaccinated by Pfizer already lose immunity to Covid after receiving their second dose, which puts them at greater risk of contracting omicron.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, at least 7.8 millions children have contracted Covid since the outbreak. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1000 children died of the virus.

Bloom declared that it was important to do all we can to limit any negative effects on mental and physical health as well as education for our children.

In a Wednesday press conference, Dr. Anthony Fauci from the White House stated that omicron is less serious for children than delta. However, he warned against complacency and encouraged parents to have their children vaccinated.

This report was contributed by Lauren Feiner, Dawn Kopecki, Nate Rattner and Dawn Kopecki of CNBC