TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The EU, U.K., Australia, and Canada have also approved use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children, Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) head Chen Shih-chung (陳時中) said on Monday (April 18) after Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the emergency use of the vaccine for children aged 6-11 on Sunday (April 17).
The Moderna vaccine dosage for children will be half of that for adults, the FDA said.
Chen said during Monday’s COVID-19 briefing that he had collected data on how the Moderna vaccine has been received by other countries for use in children, CNA reported. He pointed out that the emergency use authorization of the vaccine for children has been approved by Australia, the EU, Canada, and the U.K. on Feb. 17, March 3, March 17, and April 14, respectively.
As for how long children should wait between doses, Chen said that a recommendation will be made in this regard after talks by the ministry’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), per CNA.
Chen said parents’ approval is required for children to receive the vaccine. He added that vaccination for children is not mandatory as the country’s vaccination policy has always adopted voluntary approaches.
With regard to possible vaccine side effects for children, which some parents are concerned about, Chen said the results of related clinical trials show that the side effects are comparable to those found in adults, per CNA.