Saudi approves Moderna vaccine for 12-17 age group

The Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has approved the use of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine for the age group of 12-17 years, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Sunday.

The decision comes after Moderna submitted a request to approve the vaccine for the 12-17 age group.

The SFDA approval to inoculate this category with the vaccine has been based on the data provided by Moderna, it said.

The authority stated that the vaccine met specific regulatory requirements and that clinical studies and scientific data showed its effectiveness and safety for individuals aged 12 or older.

The SFDA previously approved the Moderna vaccine on July 9, 2021 for those aged 17 or older.

The kingdom is currently in the process of boosting vaccination rates across the country as it attempts to reduce the spread of the virus.

In late June, the Saudi Ministry of Health began offering the Pfizer-BionTech vaccine to children in the age group of 12-18 years, after the approval of the SFDA and the completion of scientific studies that showed the vaccine effectiveness for this group.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Education confirmed that students over the age of 12 in Saudi Arabia will require to be vaccinated to be admitted back to school.

Minister of Education Dr Hamad Al-Sheikh stressed that students who do not take both the doses of the vaccine will not be permitted inside campuses and will be considered absent, local media reported.

“Middle and high school students who have completed two doses are required to attend educational facilities, and those who did not complete the two dose vaccination will be considered absent until the two dose vaccination is completed,” he was quoted as saying.

Read: Saudi says students who are not vaccinated will be considered absent