Young children may receive a lower dose
Pfizer's phase 1 trial indicated that a lower dose of its vaccine -- 10 micrograms versus 30 micrograms for adults -- is safe for children ages 5 to 11. 6 months to 5 years, which also seemed to be well tolerated.
Moderna similarly compares the standard dosing regimen (100 mcg) with lower doses for all age groups. Children ages 2 to 12 in the trial receive either 50 or 100 mcg, and children six months to 2 years old receive either 25, 50, or 100 mcg.
A lower dose can help avoid unnecessary side effects: Teens in Pfizer's trials seem to have side effects more frequently than adults, likely because children's immune systems overheat quickly. But even the most common side effects, such as fatigue and headaches, were relatively minor.
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