PLANS to jab kids against Covid received a boost after a second vaccine was found to be 100 per cent effective in youngsters.

Moderna said trials involving 3,732 children aged 12-17 found none fell ill with the virus after two shots.

And infections fell by 93 per cent after just one dose.

The “exciting” result suggests the jab is highly effective at stopping Covid transmission.

The U.S. biotech firm will seek regulatory approval for use in teenagers next month.

Moderna boss Stephane Bancel said: "We are encouraged that mRNA-1273 [Covid jab] was highly effective at preventing Covid-19 in adolescents.

"It is particularly exciting to see that the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine can prevent Sars-CoV-2 infection.

"We will submit these results to the US FDA and regulators globally in early June and request authorisation."

Trial data in March found the Pfizer Covid vaccine was highly effective in youngsters.

U.S. health bosses have already started rolling it out to 12-to-15-year-olds.

NHS plans leaked to The Sun reveal British kids as young as 12 could get Covid jabs when schools reopen.

Ministers have secured an extra 60 million doses of the Pfizer jab to ensure there are enough to cover children as part of an autumn immunisation blitz.

But regulators must first approve the strategy – and balance it against any potential risks.

Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said the NHS will be “ready” to jab youngster if given the green light.

Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt had asked in the Commons: "Is it time to look at vaccinating the over-12s as they are doing in the US?"

Mr Zahawi replied: "We will operationally be ready, but ultimately the decision has to be a clinical one."

'Encouraging results'

Prof Russell Viner, at UCL, said the Moderna results are "encouraging", adding it shows mRNA jabs appear to be as effective in teens.

"mRNA vaccines appear to be broadly safe in teenagers, with both Moderna and Pfizer reporting no safety concerns," he said.

"Moderna had similar side-effects to adults including injection site pain, and headache.

"However, these safety data are still on only relatively small numbers compared with many millions of adults now vaccinated.

"The FDA in the US has already provided an emergency licence to Pfizer for use of its vaccine in 12-16 year olds, and the MHRA are considering the same.

"Given the similarity of findings for Moderna, similar decisions are likely.

“Having licensed vaccine for teenagers does not mean we should vaccinate them – and there are still a range of complex questions to consider about the benefits and risks of vaccinating the teenage population.

"One group we should however proceed to vaccinate is teenagers who are highly clinically vulnerable and at greater risk of more serious disease."

Nearly 38.2 million people have now had at least one Covid jab – 72.5 per cent of all adults.

And 23.2 million are fully immunised, with four in ten now having maximum protection.

NHS bosses are expected to invite a million Brits in their early 30s for their Covid jabs in the coming days, with under 30s expected to be invited as soon as later this week.

 

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