SACRAMENTO, Calif. — (Editor's Note: This article is recapping Moderna's March announcement, not a new development this week from Moderna or the FDA.)
Moderna is in the process of seeking FDA approval for its COVID-19 vaccine aimed to protect children younger than 6-years-old.
In March, Moderna said in the coming weeks it would ask regulators in the U.S. and Europe to authorize two small-dose shots for youngsters under 6
Its clinical trial tested 1/4 of the adult dose in children between 6 months and 6-years-old. ABC10 Health Expert Dr. Payal Kohli said the two doses given four weeks apart show an immune response. The protection against the omicron variant is about 38% to 44% in symptomatic cases. She said it is likely children will need a booster as well.
"A lot of parents might say, well, it's only 40%,' should I still get my kids vaccinated?' There's a resounding yes to that because it was very safe and well-tolerated. There were no cases at all of myocarditis or inflammation of the heart muscle which we worry about. Kids just had normal side effects such as fever," Kohli said.
COVID-19 is typically mild in children. In the trial, no children were severely ill or hospitalized.
Kohli said that means researchers can't tell how the vaccine works in preventing those outcomes. Children typically have milder cases of the virus, but Kohli said it's still important to prevent infection.
Moderna has not submitted its finding to the FDA.
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