U.S. CDC advisers back Moderna COVID vaccine for teens, older children

Advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday unanimously voted to recommend use of Moderna Inc's COVID-19 vaccine for children and adolescents aged 6 to 17.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky is expected to sign off on the recommendations shortly, which would allow the U.S. government to start rolling out the Moderna vaccine for these age groups. Nearly 60% of those aged 12-17 in the United States have been fully vaccinated so far, while the proportion of vaccinated children aged 5-11 has been significantly lower at nearly 30%.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Moderna's vaccine just last week for the 6-11 age group, along with clearance for use in children between 6 months and 5 years old.