Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine is safe and generated an immune response in children ages 6 months through 17 years that’s comparable to the response in adults, according to documents posted by the US Food and Drug Administration ahead of key meetings of its independent vaccine advisory group.
The FDA’s vaccine advisers will evaluate next week Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccines for children 6 months through 5 years and 6 years through 17 years should be granted emergency use authorization.
Children under 5 years old — about 18 million people — are the only US age group that still isn’t eligible to receive a Covid-19 vaccine. Moderna’s vaccine is currently available only to people 18 and older. Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine is already authorized for children age 5 and older; FDA’s advisers will also evaluate its vaccine for younger children next week.