Covid-19: Moderna vaccine approved by MHRA for 12 to 17 year-olds in UK

The UK's medicine regulator has approved the use of the Moderna vaccine for 12 to 17 year-olds.

The MHRA is a group of medical professionals that are part of the Department of Health and Social Care, who help decide which medicines are safe for people to use in the UK.

The group also approved the use of the Pfizer vaccine for 12 to 15 year-olds earlier this year in June.

But the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI), who advise the government on who should get the jabs, has so far decided against giving vaccines to 12 to 17 year-olds, except in certain cases.

This ruling means experts feel the vaccine is safe for use in the UK for those ages but the government is advised about who should be offered a coronavirus vaccine from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), based on a range of issues.

There are no plans currently to roll out the Pfizer or Moderna jab to all children aged 12-15.

Last month, the JCVI recommended the Pfizer-BioNTech jab could be offered to some 16 and 17 year-olds, as well as any children over 12 with an underlying health condition, or anyone living with others who are at high risk.

Dr June Raine, MHRA chief executive, said: "I am pleased to confirm that that the Covid-19 vaccine made by Moderna has now been authorised in 12 to 17 year-olds.

"It is for the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to advise on whether this age group should be vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine made by Moderna as part of the deployment programme."

Some countries around the world have already approved vaccinating children.

The European Medicines Agency has approved the Pfizer coronavirus jab for 12 to 15 year-olds living in EU countries.

And in the United States and Canada, children over 12 can also get a coronavirus vaccine.

The Hong Kong government has also rolled out the Pfizer vaccine to over-12s.

The Moderna vaccine was the third vaccine to be approved for use in adults the UK in January 2021, and is made by a company in the US called Moderna.

The Moderna vaccine offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19, and is given in two injections.

The Moderna vaccine works in a similar way to the Pfizer vaccine in that it is a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine, which means it uses the genetic code - the information that makes up the virus - to help teach the body's cells how to create the right antibodies to protect us.

It's not unusual for vaccines to make people feel a bit unwell for a few hours after being jabbed, because they spark the body's immune system into action.

It means the body can react as if it's under attack and will be better prepared if it comes into contact with real disease.

In very rare cases, there can be serious side-effects from vaccines. There have been rare cases of inflammation of the heart reported after coronavirus vaccination, including from the Moderna vaccine. The NHS says that "most people who had this recovered following rest and simple treatments".

It is not yet clear if heart inflammation was caused by the vaccine.