Advisors to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday endorsed the use of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in children as young as 12.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky tweeted parents on Wednesday afternoon saying CDC now recommends Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine be used for 12 to 15-year-old adolescents. "Getting your adolescent vaccinated means they can return to social activities faster. It also gives you peace of mind knowing your family is protected," she said.

Pfizer's vaccine has been used for months in people 16 and older. U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized its use for those as young as 12 early this week.

Pfizer is the first vaccine manufacturer to gain emergency use authorization for younger Americans after it demonstrated in a March clinical trial that its 100 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 in study participants aged 12 to 15.

Following the CDC recommendation, U.S. President Joe Biden also urged parents to get their children vaccinated. 

"Now that vaccine is authorized for ages 12 and up, and I encourage their parents to make sure they get the shot," Biden said. "This is one more giant step on our fight against the pandemic."

(With input from Xinhua and Reuters)