How soon Covid-19 shots could come for younger kids

How soon Covid-19 shots could come for younger kids

 

Covid-19 vaccines could be authorized for the country’s youngest children as early as June, according to the US Food and Drug Administration's meeting schedule.   The agency is reserving June 8, 21 and 22 as dates for its vaccine advisers to discuss updates to Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech's authorizations that would include making younger ages eligible for vaccination.   After the committee's deliberations, FDA officials could consider authorizing vaccines for younger children -- with that decision also hinging on the agency's reviews of the vaccine data.   Children 5 and older are currently eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, and adults 18 and older are eligible for Moderna shots.    Last week, Moderna announced that it had submitted data for a two-shot primary series for kids ages 6 months through 6 years to the FDA for emergency use authorization. The FDA is still waiting for data on Pfizer’s three-dose series for young children before that will be considered.   The FDA is weighing whether to consider authorization for these vaccines at the same time, rather than separately, Dr. Anthony Fauci says.   "Two products that are similar but not identical, particularly with regard to the dose, and what the FDA wants to do is to get it so that we don't confuse people to say, 'This is the dose. This is the dose regimen for children within that age group of 6 months to 5 years,' " said Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.