MENTOR, Ohio — Moderna said Tuesday that Phase 2 trial results show that its COVID-19 vaccine is effective in adolescents aged 12 to 17.
According to a press release from Moderna, the vaccine was 100% effective in preventing cases of COVID-19 in all of the 3,732 subjects who received two doses.
The news comes as half of adults in the U.S. are now fully vaccinated, according to the White House
Moderna also said that the vaccine was 93% effective in adolescents who received at least one dose of the vaccine.
The company added that "no significant safety concerns" have been identified in adolescents who took the vaccine to date.
Moderna's vaccine would be the second to receive approval for adolescents.
Earlier this month, the FDA approved the Pfizer vaccine for children as young as 12. According to Lake County General Health District leaders, that move prompted a larger increase in new vaccinations than the Vax-a-Million lottery announcement.
“At least from what we’ve seen, last week was the first time 12-15 were eligible and we did 500 in that little building,” Dyan Denmeade MSN, RN, APRN-CNP said. “Parents just want their kids vaccinated.”
Denmeade serves as Director of Nursing and Clinical Services with Lake County General Health District, where individuals can walk in and choose which vaccine they would like to receive.
Moderna says it plans to submit data to the CDC and the FDA in early June and will request authorization.
“As a parent, it’s a very important thing to have options for your kids,” Denmeade said. “You don't want to feel you’re forced to only get one vaccine or nothing. You have choices, you can look at the two and decide which one you want to get for your child.”
The move comes as health leaders in Lake County continue to shift how they offer the COVID-19 vaccines to their community, focusing more on mobile and pop-up sites at schools and other businesses as opposed to large vaccination sites.
Lake County is currently second in the state when it comes to counties’ percent vaccinated. According to the Ohio Department of Health vaccine dashboard, 51.29% of the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine.