StarMed only NC clinic selected to help with Moderna’s vaccine trial for kids

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s been a busy year for employees of StarMed in Charlotte. From long lines for COVID-19 testing to mass vaccination clinics at places like Bojangles Coliseum.

Now, they’re the only clinic in North Carolina selected to take part in Moderna’s KidCove vaccine trial for children.

It’s huge news for StarMed’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Arin Piramzadian.

“This is just another great tool that we can use to save people’s lives,” he said.

The trial will look at how effective the Moderna vaccine is for kids six months to 11 years old.

Tayvana Jackson just received her shot from StarMed’s west Charlotte clinic and said she’d love to get her daughter vaccinated now that’s she’s in the classroom more often.

“I think it’s very important. You know, you want to keep your kids safe, you want to keep everyone around you safe,” Jackson told Channel 9.

Moderna is looking for 6,750 children from the U.S. and Canada.

StarMed doesn’t know yet how many slots will be available in our area, but Piramzadian expects they’ll go quickly.

“There’s obviously a large number of parents who want their children vaccinated,” Piramzadian said.

If your child is selected, they would receive the vaccine at one of StarMed’s clinics and then be monitored for a year by researchers.

Just like in the Pfizer study, which announced its vaccine is 100% effective in kids 12 to 15 year old, some children will be given a real vaccine, others will be given a placebo.

“We expect Moderna to have very similar numbers,” Piramzadian explained.

If Moderna’s vaccines are shown to be safe and effective and regulators authorize them, kids 12 and up could be vaccinated before school starts in the fall.

“Realistically, this is how we get back to normal,” Piramzadian added.

For more information, or to find if your child is eligible for the study, call Star Med at 1-800-785-3150.

Moderna begins testing COVID-19 vaccine for children

Cox Media Group