While polls have indicated about one-third of adults are skeptical of the experimental COVID-19 vaccines, Moderna announced it has given its first doses to children under age 12, including babies as young as 6 months.
The study is expected to enroll 6,750 healthy children in the United States and Canada, the New York Post reported.
Moderna is among three manufacturers with a vaccine approved for use in the U.S. However, Moderna’s and Johnson & Johnson’s are authorized only for adults 18 and older. Pfizer’s shot can be administered to people 16 and older.
The Post said Moderna has not issued a timeline for the trial.
The vaccines, through President Trump’s Operation Warp Speed, were developed and brought to market in just one year, while the normal process takes five to 10 years. On Monday, amid reports of dangerous blood clots in some recepients, Germany, France, Italy and Spain became the latest nations to suspend use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine.
White House coronavirus adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci has said it would be “months” before enough data could be collected before allowing children to be vaccinated.
Fauci, CBS reported, said more data needs to be collected from the trials.
But he also indicated the jury is still out on the safety of the vaccines for adults.
More information still is needed, he said, regarding the “degree of efficacy and safety” of the vaccines in the adult population to begin vaccinating children.
Fauci estimated vaccination of high school students will begin by the fall term and elementary school students by the first quarter of 2022.
Moderna said Tuesday that in its upcoming combined Phase 2 and Phase 3 trial, each child will receive two shots 28 days apart.
In the first part of the trial, children will be given different dose levels to determine how much to use in the second part of the study.
Moderna said that after researchers analyze which dose is safest and most effective for each age group, they will commence part two of the trial.
Some children will receive doses of the vaccine and others will get placebo shots of saltwater.
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