Top 5 Takeaways

1. FDA Approvals and ACIP Recommendations: The FDA issued Emergency Use Authorizations for the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for children aged 6 months–5 years and 6 months–4 years, respectively. Following these approvals, the ACIP recommended their use for preventing COVID-19 in these age groups, emphasizing that the benefits outweigh the risks.
2. Vaccination Importance: Vaccination against COVID-19 is crucial for protecting children aged 6 months–5 years, with interim recommendations being subject to updates as more information becomes available.
3. Vaccine Efficacy and Safety: Both vaccines showed acceptable efficacy and safety profiles in clinical trials, with no specific safety concerns identified. The Moderna vaccine showed a 37.8% efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, while the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine showed an 80% efficacy after three doses.
4. Recommendations for Vaccination: ACIP supports the vaccination of children in the specified age groups to combat COVID-19, highlighting the vaccine’s role in preventing severe outcomes such as hospitalizations and deaths among young children.
5. Public Health Implications: The widespread use of these vaccines in young children is expected to reduce COVID-19 incidence and severity, supporting broader public health efforts to manage the pandemic.

Original Article Author and Citation

Corresponding Author

Sara E. Oliver, yxo4@cdc.gov

Suggested Citation

Fleming-Dutra KE, Wallace M, Moulia DL, et al. Interim Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccines in Children Aged 6 Months–5 Years — United States, June 2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2022;71:859–868. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7126e2 .

Summary

This MMWR article outlines the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization and ACIP’s subsequent recommendation for the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines for young children, emphasizing the importance of vaccination in this age group for COVID-19 prevention. The recommendations are based on the vaccines’ efficacy and safety data from clinical trials, highlighting the role of vaccination in protecting against COVID-19 in children aged 6 months to 5 years.

Methods

The recommendations stem from a thorough review of clinical trial data, including efficacy and safety profiles of the vaccines in preventing symptomatic COVID-19. The ACIP utilized an evidence-based approach, incorporating the Evidence to Recommendation (EtR) Framework and a Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

Discussion

The discussion focuses on the balance of benefits and risks associated with the vaccines, the importance of COVID-19 vaccination in young children, and the potential for these vaccines to reduce the incidence and severity of the disease. The recommendations are interim and may be updated as more data become available.

Conclusion

The ACIP’s interim recommendations support the use of Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines in young children, highlighting the critical role of vaccination in preventing COVID-19 and contributing to public health efforts to manage the pandemic.

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