With the Pfizer COVID booster shots receiving approval for those as young as 16 years old to get it, the Brownsville school district is preparing to offer boosters to that age group.

Brownsville ISD Health Service Director Alonso Guerrero says their efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 have been helping keep the cases down. Guerrero added that the district has more than enough of the vaccine boosters for 16 and 17-year-olds.

"The recent studies have been done, the early studies on that boosters help,” Guerrero said. “Not necessarily prevent the prevention of the Omicron variant, but severe illness such as ending up in the hospital and the ICU, so boosters are important."

The Pfizer booster is the only one available for 16 and 17-year-olds. Neither the Moderna nor Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been authorized for anyone under 18

The eligibility expansion comes after Pfizer announced the third dose will provide better protection against the omicron variant.

As of Thursday, more than 76% of Cameron County residents have been fully vaccinated.

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