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FDA Panel Sets June 15 Meeting on Pfizer, Moderna COVID Vaccines for Infants and Toddlers

CNBC reported:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s expert committee will meet on June 15 to review new data on Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID vaccines for infants and toddlers, setting the stage for the shots to receive authorization early this summer.

“We know parents are anxious for us to determine if these vaccines are safe & effective,” the FDA said in a post on Twitter on Monday. “We are working as quickly as possible to carefully review all the data.”

The FDA’s committee of independent experts will review the safety and efficacy data of the vaccines in an open public meeting and make a recommendation on whether the agency should authorize the shots. The FDA is not obligated to follow the committee’s recommendation, though it usually does.

Three Pfizer COVID Shots Protect Children Under 5, Company Says

PBS News Hour reported:

Three doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine offer strong protection for children younger than 5, the company announced Monday. Pfizer plans to give the data to U.S. regulators later this week in a step toward letting the littlest kids get the shots.

The news comes after months of anxious waiting by parents desperate to vaccinate their babies, toddlers and preschoolers, especially as COVID-19 cases once again are rising. The 18 million tots under 5 are the only group in the U.S. not yet eligible for COVID-19 vaccination.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has begun evaluating data from rival Moderna, which hopes to begin offering two kid-sized shots by summer.

Jabs for Kids under 5 Coming Soon, Says White House Disease Doc

New York Daily News reported:

Americans can expect a decision on whether to vaccinate kids younger than 5 in the coming weeks, says the White House’s COVID response coordinator.

Experts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are studying an application by vaccine maker Moderna for jabbing tykes.

“My expectation is that as soon as that analysis is done, probably within the next few weeks, we’re going to get that expert outside committee, the [Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee], and then, after that, FDA’s going to make a decision,” Dr. Ashish Jha told ABC’s “This Week.”

“So my hope is that it’s going to be kind of coming in the next few weeks.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week recommended booster shots for children ages 5 to 11.

Washington State Children Five or Older Are Now Eligible for a COVID-19 Booster Shot

KOMO News reported:

Children between the ages of five and 11 are now eligible to grab their COVID-19 booster shot.

The Washington State Department of Health expanded the booster eligibility Friday to include everyone older than five.

“The CDC’s announcement is welcome news as we continue to do everything we can to keep Washingtonians of all ages safe,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Secretary of Health. “This pandemic is not over and we must continue to use the tools at our disposal. This includes masking, therapeutics, vaccinations and — of course — boosters. Keeping yourselves and those around you safe is of utmost importance, and this recommendation is another step in that direction.”

Officials say those who are looking to get their child a booster should do so five months after their first two shots.

AstraZeneca Says EU Regulator Approves COVID Shot As Booster

Reuters reported:

Drugmaker AstraZeneca (AZN.L) said on Monday its COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, has been approved in the European Union by the bloc’s drugs regulator as a third-dose booster in adults following a committee endorsement last week.

The vaccine can now be used as a booster following the two-dose Vaxzevria schedule or by those who have been previously vaccinated by an mRNA vaccine, such as the ones made by Pfizer (PFE.N) and BioNTech (22UAy.DE) or Moderna (MRNA.O).

“Ensuring a longer duration of immune protection is essential to the long-term management of COVID-19 globally, and boosters can address the waning of protection over time that has been seen with all primary vaccine schedules to date,” Mene Pangalos, executive vice president of biopharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca, said in a statement.

One Third of Americans in New Poll Say Pandemic Is Over

The Hill reported:

One third of Americans said they believe the COVID-19 pandemic is over, according to a new Gallup poll published on Monday.

The poll found that 34 percent of respondents said that the pandemic is over, while 66 percent of respondents disagreed with that sentiment.

There was a stark partisan divide in responses. Sixty-six percent of respondents who are registered Republicans said that the pandemic is over, compared with 10 percent of Democrats. Thirty-nine percent of independents shared the view that the pandemic is finished.

Poll Finds COVID Low on Parents’ Summer Camp Checklist

U.S. News & World Report reported:

When choosing a summer camp for their children, many U.S. parents prioritize location, cost and activities. Only one in 10 said COVID-19 precautions are important, a new survey reveals.

Among parents who said COVID-19 precautions would play an important role in their summer camp decision, three-quarters support mask and vaccine requirements. Meanwhile, one-quarter prefer a camp with no such mandates, according to the University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

“Mandatory vaccination and masking may minimize disruptions to camp activities from a COVID outbreak and also limit the risk that campers pass on COVID to other family members,” poll co-director Sarah Clark said in a university news release.

Merkley Tests COVID-19 Positive, a Complication in 50-50 Senate

The Hill reported:

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said Monday that he had tested positive for COVID-19, an announcement that could throw a wrench in Democrats’ agenda this week in an evenly divided Senate.

Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) was expected to schedule a preliminary vote this week on a hotly contested domestic terrorism bill. The legislation passed the House last week in a mainly party-line vote, and Senate Republicans have vowed to block it.

The bill needs 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, and it’s not clear if there will be 10 Republicans who will break ranks. Democratic leaders have typically delayed party-line votes if they know some of their members will be absent.