FDA authorizes 1st COVID-19 shots for infants, preschoolers
Associated PressU.S. regulators on Friday authorized the first COVID-19 shots for infants and preschoolers, paving the way for vaccinations to begin next week. The FDA also authorized Moderna’s vaccines for school-aged children and teens; CDC’s review is next week. While young children generally don’t get as sick from COVID-19 as older kids and adults, their hospitalizations surged during the omicron wave and FDA’s advisers determined that benefits from vaccination outweighed the minimal risks. “Both of these vaccines have been authorized with science and safety at the forefront of our minds,’’ Dr. Peter Marks, FDA’s vaccine chief, said at a news briefing. “It’s a real tragedy, when you have something free with so few side effects that prevents deaths and hospitalization,’’ said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf.