The United States approved updated Covid-19 vaccines on Monday, hoping to enhance protection against the latest strains of this virus and mitigate any rise in infections in the fall and winter, according to the Associated Press.
The decision issued by the US Food and Drug Administration makes the latest doses from Moderna, Pfizer, and its partner BioNTech available to most Americans, even if they have not received a vaccine against the Corona virus before, in what is considered part of the shift to address the fall variants of… “Covid-19” is just like getting the annual flu vaccine.
In addition, an advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is scheduled to issue recommendations today (Tuesday), regarding who needs the updated vaccines most. Vaccinations can begin later this week, and the COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine can be given at the same visit.
The updated Corona vaccine from Pfizer (AP)
Novavax, the third company to provide the Corona vaccine, said that its updated vaccine is still under review by the Food and Drug Administration.
Hospitalizations due to Covid-19 have been increasing since late summer, although thanks to lasting immunity from vaccinations and previous infections, they have not been to the same extent as they were at this time last year.
But protection wanes over time, and the coronavirus is constantly producing new variants that can evade previous immunity.
It has been a year since the vaccines were last updated, and only about 20 percent of adults received this previous update.
Dr. Peter Marks, head of the US Food and Drug Administration’s Vaccine Administration, said in a statement: “Vaccination remains critical to public health and continued protection from the serious consequences of Covid-19, including hospitalization and death. “We strongly encourage those who are eligible to consider getting vaccinated.”
Just like previous vaccinations, the fall round is available for adults and children as young as 6 months old. The US Food and Drug Administration said that starting at age five, most people can get one dose even if they have not previously received a Covid-19 vaccine.
Younger children may need additional doses depending on their history of Covid-19 infection and vaccinations.
It is clear that the US Food and Drug Administration does not describe this latest round as a booster, but rather considers it a vaccine that has been updated to better suit the currently circulating virus.
The new recipe targets an Omicron variant called “XBB.1.5,” replacing older combination vaccines that combine protection against the original coronavirus strain with an older version of Omicron.
Although this variant is no longer dominant, the US Food and Drug Administration has determined that it is close enough to the coronavirus strains that cause most Covid-19 illnesses today to provide good combined protection. Like previous versions, it is expected to be more protective against the worst consequences of the coronavirus rather than mild infections.
But while the FDA decision allows the updated vaccines to be widely used, the CDC will decide how strongly to urge different groups to get them.
Federal officials said vaccines will remain free to most Americans through private insurance or Medicare. But for people who are uninsured or do not have adequate insurance coverage, the CDC is working with health departments, clinics and some pharmacies to temporarily provide free doses.
2023-09-12 06:08:04
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