it might almost be time get this to roll up
your toddler's sleeves. Moderna is asking the FDA to
authorize its covid vaccine for Children ages six months old
to five years old. Now this comes a full
year and a half after the first vaccine was given
authorization by the FDA for adult usage. Making kids
under six. The only age group in the US
that has not yet been eligible for vaccination. Joining
me now to discuss is dr Christina johns senior medical
advisor at PM pediatrics Moderna submitted data a few weeks
ago. Keep in mind on how effective the vaccine
will be in Children under five years old. So
what did they find? So this is very exciting
news. They found that in the younger age age
group um that it was 51% vaccine in a 25
Mike does. Um after a two dose series was
51% effective in Children under two years old. And
then from the 2 to 5 it was 37% effective
against infection. And so keep in mind that this
is an immune a bridging study. So that means
that the participants in the study met criteria. So
neutralizing antibody response that were set as goals that were
similar to what we saw in the plethora of data
that we have in adults. So this is very
exciting news because Children met that goal in their neutralizing
antibody response in this age group means that we really
can extrapolate a lot from the adult from what we
know about data in adults. And to say that
it is highly effective against severe hospitalization against death.
Um That I think we can very much comfortably say
based on these numbers. Now, I will say
that there's a caveat that we have not seen yet
. The full dataset released. So I'm waiting for
that and my fingers are crossed for next week.
All right. So if when moderna gets the green
light, how big of a dose are we talking
about for these little ones? Because obviously it's going
to be less right than what adults would get.
So how big of a dose we're talking? That's
correct. So it's about it's about 1/4 of the
dose. So 25 microgram dose and it's a two
dose series. So 28 days apart. Alright.
So how high are the covid cases among this age
group? Is it spiking is it decreasing? Is
it level What's it like? So that while this
definitely is a vulnerable vulnerable group because they are not
yet eligible for vaccines. We are starting to see
an uptick and increase in cases in this, in
this population and it mirrors for sure what what we're
starting to see in the rest of the country.
We definitely saw a lot with macron. Um and
so we are we know that they are still very
much vulnerable and so this means a lot for kids
under five years old and for their families. So
how soon do you think what you will get the
green line on this and when they do, what
are the next steps you know? Insiders tell me
that they will certainly go through the review committees,
the external review committee. So the V. R
. B. P. A. C. Committee
and the A. C. I. P.
Committee reviews. And so when that happens in general
it takes maybe five ish weeks or so until we
start to see distribution roll out. So for all
of the folks who are saying, gosh, could
this be the beginning of june? I think it
very much very much could be. Um I think
we're all speculating it depends on when the committees meet
and what they find. Of course. Alright,
so getting it approved by the FDA. Seems like
a small feet from getting it approved by parents.
So how do we get parents who may be hesitant
on this vaccine to take their kids to go get
it. I really recommend that every parent lean into
their pediatric health care professional, who knows them?
Who knows their child the best and talk to that
person about what your concerns are. What your questions
are. We are the folks, the pediatric community
pediatric experts are the ones who are trained to understand
all the information that comes out about these vaccines and
to curate the information for what's real and what isn't
and can really help you answer your questions in a
very individualized way so that you can make the safest
and best choice for your child. And I will
tell you that if the evidence bears out as we
are seeing it, these are highly safe and highly
effective vaccines in doing what we want them to do
which is prevent severe illness and death. So talk
to your pediatrician. My last question for you is
how long does the protection last? Is it three
months like the big boys or is it less?
So it is? We certainly will see. It's
it's hard to answer that question right now based on
the company's press release because again, this isn't real
world data. This is immuno bridging. So that
means that it's it is a blood antibody level data
. So do we think that it will wane after
several months likely it's certainly it's certainly will. But
it will still because so much of this was done
during omicron. Um it will have that lasting protection
against severe illness and death which is most important.
Alright. Dr Christina johns senior medical advisor at PM
pediatrics. Thank you so much for coming on our
show and this important topic. Thank you so much
for making it down