Moderna vaccine approved for youth aged 12 and up in Canada
Health Canada approved Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for use on kids age 12 to 17 on Friday.
This means teens now have access to two vaccine products — Pfizer and Moderna.
“After a thorough and independent scientific review of the evidence, Health Canada has determined that the vaccine is safe and effective at preventing COVID-19 in youth aged 12 to 17,” the agency said in a tweet.
(1/3) Health Canada has authorized the use of the Moderna #CovidVaccine in youth aged 12 to 17. Until now, this vaccine was only authorized for use in people 18 years of age or older. pic.twitter.com/xMqf6MGR0A
— Health Canada and PHAC (@GovCanHealth) August 27, 2021
The pharmaceutical company submitted its request for approval back in June, and Health Canada has now updated its webpage to say the Moderna vaccine can be used on anyone 12 and older.
Previously it was only approved for use on people 18 and up.
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CEO Stéphane Bancel said during a press conference last month that Moderna will also ask for approval for use on kids age six to 12. It plans to submit its data on younger children to Health Canada this fall.
Kids 11 and under are currently ineligible to be vaccinated because none of the current vaccines on the market are approved for use on them.
Bancel also said Moderna is separately studying its vaccine’s efficacy on children age six months to five years.
The Canadian federal government announced a partnership with Moderna on August 10 to build a domestic vaccine production facility that will be up and running by 2024. The location of the Canadian production facility is still being decided.
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