Oyogist.com has learned that The Moderna coronavirus vaccine has been approved for use in children aged 12 and over by the UK medical watchdog.
The approval comes more than two months after Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and German partner BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine got regulatory nod for use in children aged 12 to 15.
After the Pfizer vaccine, Moderna vaccine is the second Covid-19 jab authorised for those aged between 12 and 17.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has given its approval, claiming it is ‘safe and effective in this age group’.
But now it is up to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to advise the Government on whether children in this bracket should have the jab – also known as the Spikevax vaccine.
MHRA chief executive Dr June Raine said the agency has a ‘comprehensive safety surveillance strategy’ in place for all UK approved Covid-19 vaccines which will include 12 to 17 year olds.
Welcoming the news, a Department of Health spokesperson said the Government will now be guided by the JCVI and have asked for its formal reccomendation.
They added: ‘All young people aged 16 to 17, clinically vulnerable children aged 12 to 15 and people who live with adults who are immunosuppressed will be offered a first dose of a Pfizer jab by Monday 23 August.’
