The campaign implemented by the US agency is part of the change to consider updates to the COVID-19 vaccine, and its new variants, as an annual scheme similar to that for influenza.
Por Lauran Neergaard
Washington, September 11 (AP).— The United States approved on Monday updated vaccines against COVID-19 hoping for speed up the protection against the latest variants of coronavirus and to mitigate any reply during the fall and winter.
The decision by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes the latest vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer and its partner BioNTech available to most Americans, even if they have never been vaccinated before. the coronavirus. The campaign is part of a shift to treating COVID-19 vaccine updates as if it were an annual flu shot.
There is still another pending step: The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must give the go-ahead. An agency panel is set to issue its recommendation Tuesday on who most needs the updated doses. Vaccination could begin later this week, and vaccines for both COVID-19 and influenza can be administered at the same visit.
Today, we took action approving & authorizing for emergency use updated COVID-19 vaccines formulated to more closely target currently circulating variants & to provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID. Here’s what you need to know: pic.twitter.com/q1M0NerFUS
— U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) September 11, 2023
A third vaccine maker, Novavax, announced that its updated vaccine is still undergoing FDA review.
COVID-19 hospitalizations have been increasing since late summer, although thanks to long-lasting immunity from vaccination or previous infections, the number is much lower compared to the same time last year.
But protection wanes over time, and the coronavirus continually develops new variants that can evade prior immunity. It’s been a year since the vaccines were last altered, and only about 20 percent of adults received that previous update.
A vial of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine is seen on the counter of a pharmacy in Portland, Oregon, on Dec. 27, 2021. Photo: Jenny Kane, AP
“Vaccination remains critical for public health and continued protection against the serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death,” FDA Vaccine Director Dr. Peter Marks said in a statement. “We encourage all those who are eligible to consider getting vaccinated.”
Like previous vaccines, the fall round is authorized for adults and children up to six months. The FDA noted that starting at age five, most people can receive a single dose even if they have never received a COVID-19 vaccine before. Younger children may need additional doses depending on their history of COVID-19 infections and vaccinations
2023-09-12 03:43:00
#FDA #approves #updates #anticovid #vaccines #accelerate #protection #fall
