Shares of Moderna (MRNA) jumped when it was added to the S&P 500, it will replace Alexion Pharmaceuticals which AstraZeneca plans to acquire.
In addition, the EU is planning to decide on whether the COVID-19 vaccine will be available for use for children globally. At a press briefing on Thursday, Dr. Marco Cavaleri, the EU drug regulator’s head of vaccines strategy, said its expert committee was currently evaluating Moderna’s application to extend the use of its coronavirus vaccine for children 12 to 17 years old.
The EMA said last week there was a possible link between the vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech to very rare cases of chest and heart inflammation, mostly in younger adult men. They said the effects were mostly temporary and that the benefits of vaccination still far outweighed the risks of COVID-19.
Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU has now delivered enough vaccines to immunize 70% of its adult population and many countries are looking to inoculate children, despite the significantly lower risk they face from COVID-19.
