Moderna COVID vaccine protects children — even more than adults, trial study finds
Moderna’s two-dose COVID-19 vaccine reduced risk of coronavirus infection in children between 12 and 17 years old by 100% — meaning no vaccinated kids were infected during the late stage trial, the company announced Tuesday.
And after just one dose, the shot still reduced risks of infection by 93%.
It’s the second vaccine shown to offer adequate protection in children; Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine was authorized and recommended for emergency use in kids between 12 and 17 years old on May 12.
The trial, which included 3,732 adolescents, showed the Moderna vaccine offers an extra boost in protection compared to adults, who benefit from a 94% reduction in infection risks after receiving their second, final dose, the company said in a statement.
Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said the company will submit data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration early next month and request authorization for emergency use in children.
“We are encouraged that mRNA-1273 was highly effective at preventing COVID-19 in adolescents. It is particularly exciting to see that the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection,” Bancel said in the statement. “We remain committed to doing our part to help end the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Among the kids who received a placebo shot, four developed COVID-19, while none who got the vaccine were infected.
Officials said the vaccine was “generally well tolerated,” with side effects similar to those experienced in adults, such as injection site pain, headache, fatigue, chills and muscle pain.
“The majority of adverse events were mild or moderate in severity,” the company added.
In April, Bancel said Moderna will make a booster shot available to Americans by the fall, McClatchy News reported. The vaccine currently requires two doses for maximum protection.
The goal of a third dose is to further boost immunity for COVID-19 as more contagious coronavirus variants continue to spread in the U.S.. Federal health officials have not officially recommended booster vaccines, citing a lack of scientific data.
It’s too early to know if children, like adults, might benefit from a third dose.
More than 130 million adults are fully vaccinated in the U.S., about 39% of the population, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracker.
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