LONDON: Europe’s medicines regulator on Friday recommended approving the use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in 12- to 17-year olds, paving the way for it to become the second shot okayed for adolescent use in the bloc.
The use of the vaccine, branded Spikevax, will be the same in adolescents as in people above 18 years, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) said, adding the vaccine produced a comparable antibody response to that seen in 18- to 25-year olds.
Vaccinating children has been considered important for reaching herd immunity against the novel coronavirus and in the light of the highly contagious Delta variant. Moderna in May said its vaccine was found to be safe and effective in teens.
EMA’s safety committee said while common side effects in teenagers after vaccination were similar to those seen in older population, due to a smaller study size, the trial could not detect new uncommon side effects or estimate the risk of known ones such as myocarditis and pericarditis.
EU regulator endorses use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in teens
https://arab.news/2rum8
EU regulator endorses use of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine in teens
Church explosion in upstate New York injures 5 people, including a firefighter
- New York State Police were investigating the cause of the blast
- Five people were taken to a local hospital for treatment
NEW YORK: A fiery explosion ripped through a church in upstate New York on Tuesday, injuring five people including a firefighter who was badly burned while responded to reports of a gas odor in the building, officials said.
New York State Police were investigating the cause of the blast, which occurred around 10:30 a.m. at the Abundant Life Fellowship Church in a rural area about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northeast of Syracuse.
Five people were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Two were listed in critical condition, including a firefighter who responded to the scene. The remaining three people were being treated for injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, police said.
Police said there was no initial indication of criminal activity related to the explosion, which sent thick plumes of black smoke into the air and severely damaged the church.
The church was reportedly heated by propane cylinders, according to state troopers.









