EU regulator evaluating Moderna shot for children ages 5-11

AMSTERDAM (AP) — The European Union’s drug regulator says it has started evaluating whether to authorize Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11. The Amsterdam-based European Medicines Agency already is evaluating the vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech for use in the 5-11 age group. In a statement on Wednesday, the EMA said it anticipates making a recommendation about Moderna’s vaccine in about two months, unless more data or analysis is needed. The decision could significantly open up COVID-19 vaccination across the continent for young children. The coronavirus vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech have already been cleared for use in children ages 12 to 17 in Europe, where new coronavirus infections have increased for six weeks.