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Charlotte-based Atrium Health is opening a new trial for children ages 12 to 17 that will test a COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Novavax, the hospital system announced on Friday.
Currently, there is no COVID-19 vaccine authorized in the U.S. for children under the age of 16, though Pfizer is expected to receive emergency federal approval as early as Monday for its vaccine to be administered in people ages 12 to 15.
To enroll in the Novavax trial at Atrium, children must be 12 to 17 years old, not have been previously diagnosed with COVID-19, not be receiving treatment for cancer and not have any medical condition that affects their immune system response. Children who participate in the study will be monitored for two years, during which researchers will perform blood tests and nose swabs to evaluate the vaccine’s effectiveness.