A key Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel is meeting Wednesday and will likely take a vote on whether to issue emergency approval for COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for adolescents as young as 12.

The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting will likely end in a vote on whether to issue an approval for Pfizer's booster for use among people aged 12 to 15 years old.

The Food and Drug Administration issued its own approval for the booster shots earlier this week. Should the ACIP vote to approve the boosters, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky will need to issue a formal recommendation to make the shots available for adolescents.

Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine was approved for use in adolescents in May, and the CDC has recommended adults seek a booster shot five months after their final dose. That means that many teens will immediately be eligible for additional shots as soon as they are available.

The move comes as the U.S. deals with a surge in COVID-19 cases caused by the highly contagious omicron variant. While the new strain has shown to be slightly more resistant to vaccines, health officials say vaccines and booster shots offer significant protection against severe disease and death.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control, signed off on a recommendation to expand eligibility for the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots.

Walensky's decision came after the vote of approval from a key CDC advisory panel.

"Booster shots have demonstrated the ability to safely increase people’s protection against infection and severe outcomes and are an important public health tool to strengthen our defenses against the virus as we enter the winter holidays. Based on the compelling evidence, all adults over 18 should now have equitable access to a COVID-19 booster dose," Walensky said.

Earlier in the day, the FDA approved Moderna's and Pfizer's boosters for all U.S. adults who completed their first series of vaccines six months prior.

Previously, the FDA and the CDC approved booster shots of the Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for people aged 65 and up, people who have underlying health conditions that make them susceptible to the virus and those who are at an increased risk of contracting the virus because of their job or living situation. At the same time, regulators approved the mixing and matching of vaccine brands when it comes to booster shots.

The CDC reports that more than 32 million Americans have already gotten a COVID-19 vaccine booster shot. However, the agency says 47 million Americans are still not vaccinated.