Health

Canada could approve 1st COVID-19 shot for youngest kids this month: feds

Health Canada tweeted Tuesday that it expects to reach a decision by mid-July on whether to approve Moderna's shot for children between six months and five years old.

Government to discard 13.6 million expired doses because of limited demand for vaccine

A vial of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccination for children under five sits on a counter.
COVID-19 vaccinations were made available to children under 5 in the United States in June. (Sean Rayford/Associated Press)

Federal officials say a COVID-19 vaccine for Canada's youngest children could be approved as soon as this month.  

Health Canada tweeted Tuesday that it expects to reach a decision by mid-July on whether to approve Moderna's shot for children between six months and five years old.

Moderna has applied for its vaccine to be given in two doses, each a quarter of its adult dose, administered about four weeks apart.

The agency says it received a submission from Pfizer-BioNTech on June 23 for its vaccine for children between the ages of six months and four years old.

A Health Canada spokesperson says regulators are still working out a timeline for their review of Pfizer-BioNTech's application.

Canada has yet to authorize a vaccine for its nearly two million children under five.

Pfizer-BioNTech's Comirnaty vaccine can be used on kids as young as five, and Moderna's Spikevax shot has been approved for children ages six and up.

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