FDA Authorizes Updated COVID-19 Vaccines for Babies, Toddlers
U.S. drug regulators on Dec. 8 announced emergency clearance for two COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as 6 months of age.
The updated vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are now able to be administered to younger children after previously only being available to those 5 and older, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.
The old vaccines are based on the Wuhan strain’s spike protein. The new vaccines contain components of both the Wuhan strain and the BA.4/BA.5 subvariants. They’re known as bivalent shots.
In most ages, the new vaccines can only be used as boosters. That’s also the case for young people who take a Moderna primary series, which is two doses. But because Pfizer’s primary series for young children is three shots, the new jab is authorized as a third dose….