Moderna announced Wednesday morning that it has successfully completed clinical trials for its COVID-19 vaccine in children as young as six months old and soon plan to submit data to regulators to get its jab approved.
The Phase 2 and 3 trials were recently completed and included the six months to two years old age group, and the two to six years old groups. Both receive tow 25 microgram vaccine doses.
The Cambridge, Massachusetts-based company hopes to have its shot available for young children as early as this summer.
Moderna’s vaccine is currently only approved for adults 18 and older, and has run into trouble – especially overseas – due to concerns of myocarditis forming in recipients under the age of 30.
‘Given the need for a vaccine against COVID-19 in infants and young children we are working with the U.S. FDA and regulators globally to submit these data as soon as possible,’ Stephane Bancel, CEO of the company, said in a statement.
If approved, Moderna could pull out an unlikely victory in the race against Pfizer to get its vaccine approved for children under the age of five years old.
Pfizer’s shot is currently the only one in America authorized for children, with those as young as five years old eligible, while only adults can get the Moderna shot.
The recently completed Moderna trials enrolled 6,700 children six months to six years old. Another group of around 5,000 children aged six to 17 were involved in Moderna clinical trials as well.
The company has already submitted data for the latter age group to regulators, and announced that it plans to do the same for even younger children.
‘We remain committed to helping to end the COVID-19 pandemic with a vaccine for children of all ages,” Bancel said.
Not all experts agree that vaccines for children this young are necessary to end the pandemic, though.
The Centers for Disease Contol and Prevention (CDC) reports that children only account less than 0.1 percent of Covid deaths in the U.S. since the pandemic first began.
A study from the University of Utah last year found that 50 percent of pediatric Covid cases are asymptomatic. The study was performed before the more-mild Omicron variant emerged, meaning the risk for children to even feel symptoms is likely lower now.
Children may also be less likely to spread the virus when infected, with a German study finding that they release as little as only 25 percent of virus particles as adults do.
Data revealed by New York state officials at the end of last month also found that the shot was only 12 percent effective at preventing Covid infection for children aged five to 11.
Florida Surgeon General Joseph Lapado even issued guidance earlier this month recommending ‘healthy’ children aged 17 of younger not to get the shot.
