CDC advisors vote to recommend Moderna's COVID vaccine in adolescence

Disease Control and Prevention Center external vaccine advisors unanimous on Thursday Their recommendations on Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for children of virtually all ages add the first option to Pfizer's shots for millions of adolescents and school-aged children. To do.

Once CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Wallensky approves the updated recommendations, the shot is officially licensed. This is only a few days after theCDC recommended vaccinefrom both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech was applied to preschoolers, toddlers, and 6-month-old babies. Occurs.

Moderna's Pediatric Shot participates in a vaccination effort that has slowed to near cessation in children over the age of five.

More than 7 months after the FDA and CDC first approvedPfizer's shots for children up to 5 years old More than one-third ofaged 12 to 17 years remain unvaccinated. More than two-thirds of children aged 5 to 11 years are unvaccinated.

According to a study conducted by the CDC, parents' vaccine repellent may be widespread. About one-third of parents say that children over the age of 5 "probably or definitely will not be vaccinated" until the end of May. This is an increase from one-fifth of last fall.

According to CDC data, children are generally thelowest riskfor severe COVID-19 of all ages, and the majority ofchildrenare already. } survived a case of COVID-19 

However, the hospitalization rate of children over 5 years oldduring the Omicron wave was during the influenza season. It wasworse than what was seen in. 

Data presented to CDC advisorsmay indicate thatvaccination may reduce the risk of long COVID symptoms in childrenSuggests

Clearing Moderna shots for older children alleviatessome logistical challengesfor vaccinated people. There is a possibility. Shots can be stored at traditional freezer temperatures and do not need to be diluted. Physicians who already provide Moderna vaccines to infants and adults may prefer to stick to one brand for all age groups.

"I think many healthcare providers will probably get one vaccine, not both, because of concerns about waste, but these vaccines are given. Volumes and ages vary widely, just to avoid group and vaccination mistakes, "Molly Howell of the Immune Administrators Association told the CDC panel last week

. On the other hand, adding a new vaccine, the risk of a busy doctor'serror, authorities acknowledged to the committee. The Commission's advisors also complained about someerrorson the Moderna vaccine label and a myriad ofsimilar colored vials called "night dreams." Did. Some of the Pfizer vials for young children also hadand an erroron the label. 

"We're definitely listening to feedback, I think this was caused by the speed at which they move forward," Moderna's Rituparna Das told his advisor.

Dosage and risk of myocarditis

Moderna's request to vaccinate adolescents and teens despite prompt approval from foreign regulators is FDA It had been stagnant for several months before.

Federal health officials say that a dose of 100 micrograms of Moderna may pose a higher risk than the Pfizer vaccine, a rare cardiac inflammation side effect known as myocarditis or pericarditis. He said he was concerned about that. However, FDA officials said earlier this monththat US safety surveillance data are "significantly higher" with Moderna administration over 100 micrograms compared to Pfizer's vaccine in young adults. Does not indicate risk. 

Modana uses the same ingredients for all allowed shots, an FDA spokeswoman said, butbottles at different doses for different age groups. Enter. 

Each dose of Moderna's primary series for children up to 5 years has 25 micrograms of mRNA. 50 micrograms up to 11 years; 100 micrograms for everyone over 12 years old.

In last week'sstatement, the FDA said that data from safety monitoring of both mRNA vaccines show that myocarditis is still rare and patients usually recover quickly. "We will continue to strengthen the evidence," he said. Long-term impact on their lives.

Similar to Pfizer's vaccine, CDC officials told outside advisors Thursday thatcut adolescent and young adult men eight weeks after the second dose of Moderna. He said he would recommendto be able to wait. Their myocarditis is even more at risk.

So far, the FDA has not approved booster dosesfrom modernain this age group. However, federal health officials said they expect a third dose to turn green in time for these children.

"We look forward to addressing this gap in booster dose recommendations from summer to early fall," FDA Dranfink told the panel.