Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective in kids between 6 and 11

(Image credit: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

published 25 October 2021

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine generated a "strong immune response" among children between the ages of 6 and 11, the company has announced.

Moderna revealed the interim results from a trial consisting of 4,753 participants between the ages of 6 and 11, and it said the vaccine was well-tolerated and generated a strong immune response, CNN reports. "The majority of adverse events were mild or moderate in severity," the company said. In the trial, two doses were given to children 28 days apart. The children received smaller doses than adults.

This comes as a Food and Drug Administration advisory board is set to meet this week to consider whether to authorize Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine for young children. Pfizer recently said the vaccine is over 90 percent effective in kids between the ages of 5 and 11, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden's chief medical adviser, said the vaccine is likely to become available in this age group in November.

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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