By: Alyssa Wilson

Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech have begun testing their COVID-19 vaccine in children under the age of 12. 

The companies hope to expand vaccination to the age group by 2022, according to Reuters. 

Children as young as six months old will participate in the pediatric trial.

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Volunteers in the trial were given their first injections on Wednesday, a Pfizer spokesperson said. 

Currently, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is used in people 16 years old and older, while the Moderna vaccine is not cleared for people under the age of 18. 

No COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized for children to use. 

According to NBC News, there will be 144 participants and the trial will examine whether the vaccine can generate an immune response in children. 

Data from the CDC revealed that there are fewer cases of COVID-19 reported in kids compared to adults. 

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