Covid-19: the boss of Moderna calls to “vaccinate young children” – LCI

While several Scandinavian countries had recently suspended vaccination with doses of Moderna for adolescents and young adults, because of the risk of inflammation in the heart, the laboratory announced Monday, October 25 very good results of its vaccine in 6 at age 11, after clinical trials involving more than 4,700 participants. A line defended by the French boss of the company, Stéphane Bancel, in the columns of the Parisian this Tuesday, at a time when the European Medicines Agency validated on Monday a third dose for all adults with this serum.

The CEO of the company thus insisted on the need according to him to vaccinate the youngest, noting that in the United States, “almost 20% of Americans hospitalized were children” because of the propagation of the Delta variant, “which was not at all the case with the original strain”. This variant has led to a multiplication of serious forms even in this age group, he said in daily columns, describing “a phenomenon of the summer of 2021”.

“In my opinion, young children should be vaccinated”, he therefore launched, believing that “the benefit-risk ratio for minors and society is clearly positive” thanks in particular to the reduction of the risk of contamination of vulnerable people by the youngest.

As for the risks of heart problems caused by the injection of the serum, “no case of myocarditis [inflammation au niveau du cœur, ndlr] has not been reported in people over 40 years of age “, he said, adding that “among young people, there are only a few cases per million vaccinated”.

In addition, the laboratory is conducting clinical trials on three new vaccines: one intended to fight against the Delta variant, another against Beta and a third version which will be “a combination of both in one bottle” faced with the risk that “the Delta evolves by adding Beta mutations”, “a more contagious and deadly virus in the future”.

“If people recall, I think that from the summer of 2022, they will return to a completely normal life”, he also added. Second in the vaccine race, the pioneer messenger RNA laboratory has already sold more than half a million doses worldwide.