Kids Under Five Can Now Receive the COVID-19 Vaccine
The first jabs could become widely available as of today, June 21
On Saturday, June 18, 2022, CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky endorsed the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation that all children six months through five years of age receive a COVID-19 vaccine. This decision expands eligibility for vaccination to 19.6 million additional children. The CDC recommends vaccinating all children, including those who contracted COVID-19.
The Food and Drug Administration decided a day earlier to authorize COVID-19 vaccines for children under five — the last age group in the United States to get clearance to receive the shots. The agency approved both Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines for this age group.
The Moderna vaccine
Moderna tested its vaccine in more than 6,300 children. The vaccine is administered in two shots, 25 micrograms each (a quarter of its adult dose), is given about four weeks apart. The two-dose regimen was reported to be 51% effective in children six months to two years and 37% for those 2 to under six. However, it appears highly effective against severe disease and death and is similar to vaccine efficacy estimates in adults against Omicron after two doses of the company’s mRNA…
