London: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recommended approving Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 17. This is the first time Moderna shot has been authorised for people under 18. In a major decision Friday, the EU drug regulator said research in more than 3,700 children aged 12 to 17 showed that the Moderna vaccine — already given the okay for adults across Europe — produced a comparable antibody response. Until now, the vaccine made by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, was the only option for children in North America and Europe. Now Moderna is another option available.
The US Food and Drug Administration is currently considering whether to extend the use of the Moderna vaccine for children under 18.
With global vaccine supplies still tight, much of the world still is struggling to immunize adults. US and European regulators do caution that both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines appear linked to an extremely rare reaction in teens and young adults — chest pain and heart inflammation.