Moderna will begin testing its COVID vaccine on 6,750 children and babies as young as 6 months old, The New York Times reported. They’ve already begun testing on 3,000 children ages 12 to 17 years old.
Since “vaccine side effects like fever, sore arms, fatigue and achy joints and muscles can be more intense in children … it is important for parents to know what to expect after their children are inoculated,” the Times added.
Each child in the study will receive two separate shots of the vaccine, but some of the younger children may receive fewer micrograms of the doses than adults and older children do, in varying degrees. An adult dose is 100 micrograms; children will receive 25, 50 or 100 micrograms.
The first children to get the vaccines will receive the lower doses, with higher doses to be added as the company monitors reactions for safety and protection.
SOURCE: The New York Times March 16, 2021