Moderna COVID-19 shots now an option for older kids in U.S.
NEW YORK — There is now a second COVID-19 vaccine option for kids ages 6 to 17 in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday announced it is recommending Moderna shots as an option for school-age kids and teens. Americans in this age group have been able to get shots made by Pfizer and BioNTech since last year.
“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from the complications of severe COVID-19 disease,” Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the CDC, said in a statement announcing the agency’s formal recommendation.
Last week, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the shots — full-strength doses for children ages 12 to 17 and half-strength for those 6 to 11. The doses are to be given about a month apart.
Both Pfizer and Moderna are considered safe for kids of all ages, but here are a couple of differences that parents can consider.
The CDC sets the federal government’s vaccine guidance for U.S. doctors and their patients. An expert advisory panel this week voted unanimously to recommend that CDC endorse the Moderna shots too.
Moderna officials have said they expect to later offer a booster to all kids ages 6 to 17.
