PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Almost seven thousand children, between six months and 12 years-old, will be part of Moderna’s new covid-19 study in the U.S and Canada.
“They're looking at you know--effectiveness of the vaccine and the safety of the vaccine in that population," said Infectious Disease Physician with Penn State Children’s Hospital Dr. Patrick Gavigan.
According to the New York Times, the children will be followed for a year, to look for side effects and measure antibody levels that will help researchers determine whether the vaccine appears to provide protection.
“We know kids aren’t getting as severely ill as frequently as adults. but we certainly see some kids that get sick with Covid-19, and there’s some that can suffer post-infectious complications," said Dr. Gavigan
This new study will be a big step for children and the rest of the population.
“One of the benefits of vaccination is that it can help decrease transmission. it gets us to that herd immunity level that we’re all so eager to get back to- some sense of normalcy. and you’re really not going to have the full impact on transmission unless we vaccinate kids," he said.
Dr. Gavigan says he’s optimistic the trial will show that the vaccine is safe for that population, but adds that it’s still important to do these studies.
“Kids aren’t just little adults--we really need to have the data in our children and this pediatric population before we can come to the conclusion they’re in fact safe," he adds.
And for parents who still feel hesitant, Dr. Gavigan says to talk to your Pediatrician and use resources like the CDC to get a good explanation of the safety of the Covid-19 vaccine.