NEW YORK — An knowledgeable panel backed a second COVID-19 vaccine choice for teenagers ages 6 to 17 Thursday.
Advisers to the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention voted unanimously to suggest Moderna photographs as an choice for school-age youngsters and adolescents. This group has been in a position to get photographs photographs made by Pfizer since last year.
The panel’s suggestions often are adopted by the CDC, and change into the federal government’s steerage for U.S. medical doctors and their sufferers.
Final week, the Meals and Drug Administration licensed the photographs — full-strength doses for youngsters ages 12 to 17 and half-strength for these 6 to 11. The doses are to be given a few month aside.
The FDA additionally licensed a 3rd dose for teenagers with considerably weakened immune methods, to be given a few month after the second dose of the first collection. The CDC is predicted to suggest the identical factor.
Moderna officers have mentioned they anticipate to later provide a booster to all youngsters ages 6 to 17.
How a lot demand there might be for the photographs isn’t clear. Teenagers grew to become eligible a 12 months in the past for Pfizer’s vaccine, which makes use of the identical know-how, and solely 60% have gotten two doses. Pictures for youthful youngsters began in November; about 29% have been totally vaccinated, based on the CDC.
Learn Extra: Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccines Authorized for Children 6 Months and Older
Greater than 600 COVID-19 deaths have been reported in youngsters ages 5 to 17 within the U.S. Well being officers even have voiced concern concerning the elevated danger of long-lasting well being issues in kids after infection, comparable to diabetes or issues with scent or style.
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