Children as Young as 5 Could Soon Start Receiving Covid Shots After Pfizer, Moderna Data Show Strong Immune Responses; FDA Panel Meets Today

The Food and Drug Administration will soon decide on approving the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines for children as young as 5, after extensive tests from both vaccines returned strong immune responses in children ages 5-11 for Pfizer, and 6-11 year-olds for the Moderna shot.

Experts on a panel called the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee have been advising the FDA, and the panel, which is meeting Tuesday, is expected to review scientific data about the Pfizer vaccine’s safety and effectiveness in children. A vote to recommend whether the FDA should authorize its use is expected to follow soon after.

The Moderna vaccine returned a strong immune response against Covid-19 in the 6-11 age group that was generally safe, the company said Monday. Moderna said it would soon submit the results to health regulators in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere seeking authorization to broaden the vaccine's use to include the younger age group.

“We are encouraged by the immunogenicity and safety profile of mRNA-1273 in children aged 6 to under 12 years and are pleased that the study met its primary immunogenicity endpoints,” Moderna Chief Executive Stéphane Bancel said.

Last week, the FDA said results from Pfizer's late-stage study met the criteria for immune responses in children between the ages of 5-11. The results also showed that the shot was safe and 90.7 percent effective at preventing symptomatic Covid-19 in the aforementioned age group.