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European Medicine Agency approves Moderna jab for ages 12 and up

WION Web Team
New DelhiUpdated: Jul 23, 2021, 09:34 PM IST
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Representative image Photograph:(Reuters)

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The agency said that the effects of the Moderna jab was studied among 3,732 children aged 12-17 years

European Medicine Agency (EMA) on Friday approved use of Moderna's coronavirus vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 17. This makes it the second jab approved for use among adolescents in Europe.

"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 European Medicines Agency (EMA) said, using the vaccine's brand name. 

The vaccine will be given in two injections. The time period between first and second dose would be four weeks.

The decision by the Amsterdam-based agency follows the approval of the first vaccine for European youngsters, by Pfizer/BioNTech in May.

The EMA said that the effects of the Moderna jab was studied among 3,732 children aged 12-17 years.

"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," it said.

The Moderna jab employs the same mRNA technology as Pfizer/BioNTech, using genetic material to deliver instructions to human cells to create coronavirus spike proteins. 

It thereby trains an immune response without exposing the host to a real infection.

The EMA said there were common side effects in children similar to those in adults.

This included pain and swelling at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle and joint pain, enlarged lymph nodes, chills, nausea, vomiting and fever.

"These effects are usually mild or moderate and improve within a few days from the vaccination," the EMA said.

(With inputs from agencies)