Last Updated: Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine Authorized By Europe's EMA For Children Aged 12 To 17 The European Medicines Agency recommended approving Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 12 to 17 as it showed a comparable antibody response. AP Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine has been authorized by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The decentralised scientific agency in charge of the evaluation and supervision of medicinal products across Europe recommended children aged 12 to 17 to get the jab. This is the first time that a shot has been authorised for people under the age of 18. Why should the European Medicines Agency authorize Moderna Vaccine? Case Study The EMA on Friday said research in more than 3700 children aged 12- 17 showed that the Moderna Vaccine produced a comparable antibody response. Children in North America and Europe, as young as 12 have only been provided with a choice to use the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine. Hundreds of millions of Moderna doses already have been administered to adults, and the company says the two-dose vaccine is just as protective in teens. In a study of more than 3,700 12- to 17-year-olds, the vaccine triggered the same signs of immune protection and there were no COVID-19 diagnoses in the vaccinated group compared with four cases among those given dummy shots. Common side effects included sore arms, headaches and fatigue.