NewDelhi: With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to wreak havoc across the world, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Friday approved the Moderna vaccine — Spikevax — for use on children in the age group of 12 to 17 years. It said that Spikevax has been approved after its effects were studied among 3,732 children.
“The use of the Spikevax vaccine in children from 12 to 17 years of age will be the same as in people aged 18 and above,” the EMA said. “The study showed that Spikevax produced a comparable antibody response in 12- to 17-year-olds to that seen in young adults aged 18 to 25 years”.
Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine: Doses and efficacy
Like the Pfizer and Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is also administered in two doses, each four weeks apart. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the United States of America (USA) has said that Moderna vaccine has a total efficacy of 94.1 per cent.
Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine: Possible side-effects
The possible side-effects of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are headache, chills, fever, joint pain, muscle pain, nausea and vomiting.
Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine: Price
Indian drug manufacturer Cipla will import the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine after it got nod from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for emergency use authorisation (EUA) in the country. However, the company is yet to reveal its price in India.
Will India follow the suit?
Currently, India is testing Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Zydus Cadila’s COVID-19 vaccine ZyCoV for use on children. As of now, there is no word from the central government over the use of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on children in India.
Bureau Report
Leave a Reply