On Friday, June 17, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the COVID-19 shots of both Pfizer and Moderna for children between 6 and 5 years old.
However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC will still need to sign off an authorization before the shots can be administered.
With the recent approval, this means that almost every person in the United States can get vaccinated against COVID-19.
FDA Approves Vaccine for Children
According to CNBC, the Pfizer vaccine was authorized for children as young as six months old to four years of age, while the Moderna shots were authorized for children ages six months to five years. It can also be given to children ages six to 17.
More than 18 million children under the age of five in the United States have been waiting to get vaccinated. They are the remaining age group in the country that hasn't received a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
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The decision came after the FDA's vaccine advisory committee unanimously recommended on June 16 that the administration authorize the two top vaccine manufacturers for the youngest children in the country.
Now that it has the approval from the FDA, it is the CDC's turn to make a decision. According to NBC News, the CDC's advisory committee will meet on June 17 and vote on June 18 on whether or not the vaccines should be used for children under five years of age.
If all goes well and there are no objections from the experts, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky will sign off on the authorization after the committee's clearance. After that, health centers nationwide can start administering the shots next week.
Children under the age of three will get vaccinated in their thighs, while children above the age of four will get vaccinated in their arms.
Potential Side Effects for Children
According to CBS News, several members of the FDA committee noted that side effects from COVID-19 are less common in children than in adults. They believe that the shots should still be available in case the parents want to vaccinate their children.
FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said during a press briefing on June 17 that the vaccination rate in children is still low, especially for children between the ages of five to 11. Less than 30% of children in that age range have received two vaccine doses.
How the Shots Will Be Administered
The Pfizer vaccine for children will be two doses, and they will be given three weeks apart. It will be followed by a third dose two months later.
The shots are three micrograms each, one-tenth of the dosage given to adults. The clinical trials at Pfizer found that the vaccines are 80% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID in children.
Meanwhile, Moderna will use two 25 microgram doses for young children. That is only a quarter of the dosage given to adults. The shots will be given four weeks apart.
The clinical trials at Moderna found that the vaccines are 50% effective at preventing milder infections. The company said it is testing a booster shot for children that could be distributed around October.
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This article is owned by Tech Times
Written by Sophie Webster
