'Second option': Doctor says Moderna COVID-19 vaccine hopeful for people 12 and up

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Another COVID-19 vaccine may soon be available to children as young as 12-years-old.

On Tuesday, May 25, Moderna said their shot strongly protects children and they plan to submit the data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in early June.

“This gives us a second option here available in the United States, soon probably in Canada as well and will allow us to move more quickly,” UW Health’s Dr. William Hartman said.

Hartman said having another option for kids will be good to increase the supply and get more shots in arms.

“To get more kids vaccinated going into the summer and then hopefully obviously into next school year,” he said.

Hartman explained it is also critical in trying to reach herd immunity.

“We need to get the kids vaccinated, they make up about 20 to 25 percent of our whole population,” he said. “So if we are going to get to that 80 or 85 percent that’s needed to get herd immunity, we’re going to have to vaccinate a certain percentage of our children, so this will get us there more quickly.”

Pfizer and Moderna are also running trials on kids younger than 12-years-old right now. They are hoping to have results by fall.