COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Licking County Health Department will be offering COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 12-15 Thursday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The clinic will be held at OSU-N/COTC in Newark and will be administering the first dose of Pfizer. 

The U.S. Federal Drug Administration expanded the emergency use authorization (EUA) of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for children 12-15 Monday. Previously, the vaccine was authorized for those 16 years and older.

The companies applied for the expanded approval in early April. Phase 3 clinical trial data, which included 2,260 teens aged 12-15 in the U.S., showed 100% efficacy and strong antibody responses.

Pfizer said it plans to seek expanded EUA again in September for children 2-11. The company is currently in a trial for testing the vaccine for kids as young as 6-months-old to 11-years-old.

Gov. Mike DeWine said the state could authorize providers to begin offering the vaccine to children 12-15 as early as Wednesday.