U.S. FDA authorizes 2nd COVID-19 booster for older Americans
Global News
The Food and Drug Administration's decision opens a fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines to people age 50 and older at least four months after their previous booster.
Americans 50 and older can get a second COVID-19booster if it’s been at least four months since their last vaccination, a chance at extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds.
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized an extra dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for that age group and for certain younger people with severely weakened immune systems.
Hours later, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the extra shot as an option but stopped short of urging that those eligible rush out and get it right away. That decision expands the additional booster to millions more Americans.
Everyone eligible for a first booster who hasn’t gotten one yet needs to, FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said. But the second booster is only for these higher-risk groups because there’s evidence protection can wane and FDA decided the option “will help save lives and prevent severe outcomes.”
The move comes at a time of great uncertainty. COVID-19 cases have dropped to low levels after the winter surge of the super-contagious omicron variant. Two vaccine doses plus a booster still provide strong protection against severe disease and death, CDC data show.
But an omicron sibling is causing a worrisome jump in infections in Europe — and spreading in the U.S. _ even as vaccination has stalled. About two-thirds of Americans are fully vaccinated, and half of those eligible for a first booster haven’t gotten one.
Pfizer had asked the FDA to clear a fourth shot for people 65 and older, while Moderna requested another dose for all adults “to provide flexibility” for the government to decide who really needs one.
FDA’s Marks said regulators set the age at 50 because that’s when chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes become more common, increasing the risks from COVID-19.
