UMass Medical School study shows safety of Moderna COVID vaccine for children

Photo | Courtesy of Moderna A biopharma worker

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By Devan Greevy

Early data in a trial, run in part at UMass Medical School in Worcester, for adolescents indicates the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has a 95% efficacy with no serious safety concerns to date for individuals aged 12 to 17, as the pharmaceutical company works to receive approval for the vaccine’s widespread use in children.

UMass Medical School participated in the TeenCove trial, which began in early February and is continuing to collect data using more than 3,000 adolescent participants nationwide. The research center made an effort to include participants of underserved racial and ethnic identities, who are disproportionately likely to be affected by COVID-19.

While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has currently only authorized the Moderna vaccine for adults 18 and older, the Pfizer vaccine received emergency use authorization for individuals aged 12 to 15 on May 10.

UMass is enrolling participants in KidCOVE, a Moderna vaccine trial for children aged 6 months to 11 years beginning in late May. Pfizer is currently studying the efficacy and effects of their vaccine on children.

Although teens typically do not contract severe cases of COVID-19, UMass Medical School pediatricians report that they may be more likely to spread the disease to higher-risk household members, making vaccinating the age group important to limiting community transmission.

“Results from both the Pfizer and Moderna trials indicate that these vaccines are both safe and effective for adolescents,” said Robert Finberg, a professor of medicine at UMass and a member of Gov. Charlie Baker’s COVID-19 Advisory Group, in a press release. “It is important that we vaccinate this group of people so we can end the pandemic for all.”