FDA authorizes Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months old
- The FDA authorized COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer for use in kids as young as 6 months old on Friday.
- The vaccines still need to be recommended by the CDC in order to move into arms of babies and little kids.
The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday authorized Pfizer and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines for use in children as young as six months old.
The vaccines will be available for young kids once the CDC recommends them, which will likely happen this weekend. The White House has already said it's preparing "for the first vaccinations to start as early as the week of June 20th."
Vaccines for children older than five years have been available for several months now, making babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers the last US age group left without a vaccine against COVID.
"Many parents, caregivers and clinicians have been waiting for a vaccine for younger children," FDA Commissioner Robert Califf said in a statement. "As we have seen with older age groups, we expect that the vaccines for younger children will provide protection from the most severe outcomes of COVID-19, such as hospitalization and death."
More than 440 children under the age of 4 have died from COVID during the pandemic, and their rates of hospitalization and death (while still low compared to adults) now surpass those of older, vaccine-eligible kids.
"I think we have to be careful that we don't become numb to the number of pediatric deaths because of the overwhelming number of older deaths," Dr. Peter Marks, who's in charge of the FDA's vaccine-regulating Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said earlier this week, as independent advisors to the agency reviewed safety and efficacy data available on the two vaccines, from trials in thousands of small children.
"Every life is important. Vaccine-preventable deaths are ones that we would like to try to do something about," he said.
FDA advisors stressed that while parent's don't have to vaccinate their kids, the option should be available for those who want the protection.
Pfizer's vaccine for kids 6 months to 5 years old is a three-dose series administered over three months, while Moderna's vaccine for kids 6 months to 6 years old is two doses, spaced a month apart.