The first COVID-19 shots for
The
The outside experts voted unanimously that the benefits of the shots outweigh any risks for children under 5 — that’s roughly 18 million youngsters. They are the last age group in the
If all the regulatory steps are cleared, shots should be available next week.
“This is a long-awaited vaccine,” said one panel member, Dr.
Dr.
“Each child that’s lost essentially fractures a family,’’ Marks said.
While endorsing the vaccines, some panel members said they believe chances are minimal for severe illness and death in young children.
“Risks from vaccination are very low, but so are risks from COVID-19 for the youngest kids," said Dr.
FDA reviewers said both brands appear to be safe and effective for children as young as 6 months old in analyses posted ahead of the all-day meeting. Side effects, including fever and fatigue, were generally minor in both, and less common than seen in adults.
The two vaccines use the same technology but there are differences. In a call with reporters earlier this week, vaccine experts noted that the shots haven't been tested against each other, so there’s no way to tell parents if one is superior.
“You can’t compare the vaccines directly," said Dr.
If the FDA agrees with its advisers and authorizes the shots, there's one more step. The
Pfizer’s vaccine is for children 6 months through 4 years; Moderna’s vaccine is for 6 months through 5 years.
Moderna’s shots are one-quarter the dose of the company’s adult shots. Two doses appeared strong enough to prevent severe illness but only about 40% to 50% effective at preventing milder infections.
Pfizer’s submitted data found no safety concerns and suggested that three shots were 80% effective in preventing symptomatic coronavirus infections. But that was based on just 10 COVID-19 cases; the calculation could change as more cases occur in the company’s ongoing studies.
Several advisers, noting that protection is low after two
Educating parents must be done “very very carefully so that they are not misled about what the vaccines actually provide,’’ said Dr.
The same FDA panel on Tuesday backed
The nation’s vaccination campaign started in
In the
Dr.
“We have some that are hesitant, and some that are just raring to go,’’ she said.
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