FDA Clears First COVID-19 Vaccines for Young Children

According to a recent New York Times article, the FDA has authorized the first COVID-19 vaccines for children under 5. The unanimous decision came last Friday from an advisory panel composed of independent experts, a year and a half since the first vaccines were administered to adults. The approved vaccines include both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, but not Johnson & Johnson. Moderna’s two- dose vaccine is approved for children 6 months through 5 years, and Pfizer’s three-dose vaccine is approved for children 6 months to 4 years. Both vaccines initiated immune responses similar to those in adults, with Moderna’s working slightly quicker, and Pfizer’s bringing a greater response after the third shot.