<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Vaccine advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) voted on Thursday to support recommending the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for use in people ages 6 through 17 years old.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>The vaccine received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week.</div><div><br></div><div>This recommendation reinforces the use of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine as an important tool in the pandemic and provides another vaccine option for children and adolescents, said the CDC in a statement.</div><div><br></div><div>Previously, the Moderna vaccine was already recommended for use in children 6 months through 5 years old and adults 18 years and older.</div><div><br></div><div>"Today, we have expanded the options available to families by recommending a second safe and effective vaccine for children ages 6 through 17 years," said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky after endorsing the advisors' recommendation.</div><div><br></div><div>Vaccinating this age group can provide greater confidence to families that their children and adolescents participating in childcare, school, and other activities will have less risk for serious COVID-19 illness, she said. - Xinhua</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>