A panel of advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Saturday voted to push forward with Modernas coronavirus vaccine for emergency use in people ages 18 and older.
CDC Director Dr. Robert RedfieldRobert RedfieldThe Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Mastercard – Congress slogs toward COVID-19 relief, omnibus dealTrump official pushed for herd immunity, calling for low-risk Americans to be infected, emails showOvernight Health Care: US begins COVID-19 vaccinations in moment of hope | US surpasses 300,000 COVID-19 deaths | Pfizer negotiating with Trump administration for additional 100M COVID-19 vaccine doses next yearMORE is expected to accept the recommendation from the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices this weekend, CNN reported.
The vaccine, which was approved for emergency use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday, cannot be administered until it gets final approval from Redfield.
Safety has been a paramount focus, Dr. José Romero, the CDC advisory committees chair and a professor of pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Arkansas, said Saturday, according to USA Today.
The FDA cleared Modernas vaccine Friday following a unanimous recommendation from an agency advisory panel Thursday.
Modernas vaccine, like the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, has shown to be about 95 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 for the general population.
The news comes as thousands of people have already received the first dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine following emergency approval last week.
Modernas vaccine was found to be 86 percent effective for people over age 65.
The CDC panels age recommendation for the Moderna vaccine Saturday also marks a change from their guidance for the Pfizer/BioNTech treatment last week, which advised the inoculation for those aged 16 and older.
Moderna’s vaccine is anticipated to create fewer logistical challenges, as it does not require the same deep cold storage as Pfizer’s vaccine.
It can remain stable for up to 30 days at the same temperature as a standard freezer.
Unlike Pfizer, Moderna’s vaccine was developed with significant federal funding. The Trump administration has invested $4.1 billion into the vaccine’s development and distribution, and the National Institutes of Health helped run clinical trials for the company.
Officials announced earlier Saturday that distribution of the Moderna vaccine would begin this weekend.
“Distribution of Moderna vaccine has already begun,” Gen. Gustave Perna, chief operating officer of Operation Warp Speed, the administration’s effort to advance vaccine development and distribution, said during a briefing.
“Boxes are being packed and loaded today. Trucks will begin rolling out tomorrow, from FedEx and UPS, delivering vaccines and kits to the American people across the United States,” he added.
