Moderna low-dose COVID vaccine effective in kids 6-11, manufacturer says
Biotechnology company Moderna said Monday its low-dose COVID-19 vaccine is safe and appears effective in children age 6-11, poising the vaccine manufacturer to join its rival Pfizer in moving toward expanding shots to kids.
Pfizer’s vaccine for children age 5-11 is is currently undergoing evaluation by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is expected to be available for that age group by early November. Pfizer’s vaccine is already authorized by the FDA for those age 12 and up, as opposed to Moderna, whose application to expand vaccination to include 12-17-year-olds has not yet been ruled on by the FDA.
While Moderna has not gotten authorization for vaccine use in teens, it is studying low-dose shots for younger children in the meantime. Researches tested two shots for kids age 6-11, given a month apart, and early results showed vaccinated children developed antibodies similar to those young adults produce after full-strength shots, Moderna said in a news release.
Moderna released no further details and hasn’t submitted its data to a scientific journal but said it plans to share the interim results with the FDA and global regulators soon.
Latest COVID-19 data
South Carolina health officials reported 564 total cases of COVID-19 Oct. 26, with 456 confirmed. A total of six new deaths, all confirmed, were also reported Monday.
With 13,126 tests reported, 5.7% were confirmed positive.
Percentage of S.C. residents with at least one vaccine: 62.2%
Percentage of S.C. residents who have completed vaccination: 54.6%
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