EU regulator approves Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 17

New Delhi, July 23: The European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Friday approved Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 17 years, making it the second jab for adolescents for use on the continent.

"The use of the Spikevax vaccine in children from 12 to 17 years of age will be the same as in people aged 18 and above," the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said, using Moderna's brand name.

The most common side effects of Moderna vaccine in children were similar to those in adults, including pain and swelling at the injection site, headache, nausea, vomiting and fever.

The EMA said in a statement that these side effects were usually mild to moderate and improved within a few days from the vaccination.

Menwhile, the government is in continuous dialogue with foreign Covid vaccine manufactures like Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson to discuss and address various issues, including indemnity, the Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.

Providing the present status of discussions with pharma companies like Pfizer and Moderna over giving them indemnity against cost of compensation for adverse effects due to vaccination, Union Minister Bharati Pravin Pawar in a written reply said the government constituted the team on June 11 to deal with various issues related to procurement of COVID-19 vaccine from foreign manufacturers.