Moderna is asking U.S. regulators to allow for use of its COVID-19 vaccine on the nation's youngest children.
Moderna submitted data to the Food and Drug Administration Thursday for emergency use authorization of its vaccine for children between 6 months and 5 years old.
"We believe mRNA-1273 will be able to safely protect these children against SARS-CoV-2, which is so important in our continued fight against COVID-19 and will be especially welcomed by parents and caregivers," said Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna.
Kids under 5 are the only group in the U.S. not yet eligible for vaccination and many parents are waiting for a chance to protect them. Pfizer's vaccine is currently available for those 5 and older.
Moderna hopes the FDA will give emergency authorization for its vaccine by summer.
It's a complex decision partly because while other countries give Moderna shots to older children, the U.S. so far has restricted them to adults.