A CDC advisory panel gave the green light Wednesday afternoon for vaccinating 12 to 15 year olds against COVID-19 with the Pfizer vaccine.

State Health Secretary Dennis Schrader told WYPR’s Sheilah Kast Wednesday morning 12 to 15 year-olds could begin receiving the vaccine shortly after the CDC’s approval.

“There's going to be a variety of channels to get the 12 to 15 year old population vaccinated,” he said during an appearance on On The Record.

The Pfizer vaccine has been tested on more than 2,000 12 to 15 year olds.

Dr. Christina Brown, a pediatrician from Kaiser Permanente in White Marsh, urges kids to still get vaccinated even if they’re at lower risk, to protect themselves and their loved ones.

“We're doing this to help you get back into school and to help you stay in school and maybe go to some summer camp,” Brown said.

Brown said kids who have gotten COVID-19 should still get the vaccine as soon as they can. But people should wait two weeks if they’ve just gotten vaccinated for something else.

Editor's Note: Previously, the CDC recommended that people who've received other vaccines wait at least two weeks before getting vaccinated for COVID-19. The CDC has since revised its recommendations: there is no longer a minimum waiting time.