NewsNational

Actions

Moderna seeks to be 1st with COVID shots for younger children

Virus Outbreak Moderna Kids
Posted
and last updated

Moderna is asking U.S. regulators to allow for use of its COVID-19 vaccine on the nation's youngest children.

Moderna submitted data to the Food and Drug Administration Thursday for emergency use authorization of its vaccine for children between 6 months and 5 years old.

"We believe mRNA-1273 will be able to safely protect these children against SARS-CoV-2, which is so important in our continued fight against COVID-19 and will be especially welcomed by parents and caregivers," said Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna.

Kids under 5 are the only group in the U.S. not yet eligible for vaccination and many parents are waiting for a chance to protect them. Pfizer's vaccine is currently available for those 5 and older.

Moderna hopes the FDA will give emergency authorization for its vaccine by summer.

It's a complex decision partly because while other countries give Moderna shots to older children, the U.S. so far has restricted them to adults.