Pfizer to start testing its Covid-19 vaccine in children as young as 12

(CNN) - Drugmaker Pfizer has plans to start testing its experimental coronavirus vaccine in children as young as 12, and parents have already expressed interest in enrolling their kids, the researcher helping lead the trial told CNN Tuesday.

It will be the first coronavirus vaccine trial to include children in the United States.

A team at Cincinnati Children's Hospital will begin vaccinating teenagers aged 16 and 17 this week, and will move to enroll 12-to 15-year-olds later, said Dr. Robert Frenck, director of the Vaccine Research Center at the hospital. Other sites will also enroll children.

The company confirmed on its website it has approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to enroll children as young as 12 in its trial.