Moderna COVID-19 shot 100% effective in adolescents

After two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, there were no cases of the virus in study participants, Moderna said in a press release on Tuesday, meaning it was 100% effective at preventing COVID-19.

"No cases of COVID-19 observed after two doses of vaccine using the primary case definition," the company said in a statement.

The vaccine was 93% effective in children ages 12-17 two weeks after a single dose, the company added.

The company plans to submit results to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulators around the world in early June to request authorization for use.

The Moderna vaccine was granted conditional marketing authorisation for adults in the European Union on January 6.

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, along with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, is already available for anyone 18 years and older in the U.S.

In addition to the United States, Pfizer’s vaccine is also authorized for use in younger teens aged 12 to 15 in Canada and Algeria.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that 58.5 per cent of the U.S. population 12 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Global coronavirus cases stand at 167.3 million, while more than 3.4 million have lost their lives.