The US Food and Drug Administration has also approved this additional booster of the vaccine for people 12 years of age and older with a weakened immune system. The new supplements should be given at least four months after the third dose and are intended to offer greater protection against serious illness and hospitalization, the companies said. The authorization comes as some scientists have expressed concerns about the highly contagious BA.2 Omicron subtype, which has led to new peaks in COVID-19 cases in other countries. COVID-19 cases in the United States fell sharply from record highs in January, but rose slightly last week, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “While this EUA (Emergency Authorization Authorization) will help address a current emergency for some, we are working diligently to develop an up-to-date vaccine that not only protects current COVID-19 strains, but also provides more resilient responses,” he said. Pfizer CEO. said Albert Burla in a statement. Pfizer and BioNTech initially requested approval for the next booster dose for people aged 65 and over in a submission citing data collected in Israel, where a second booster is already approved for many people over the age of 18. The companies did not explain why the age range had expanded.
Discuss whether young, healthy people need a 4th shot
Scientists and officials have debated whether young, healthy people will need a fourth shot. A study in Israeli health workers showed that the fourth dose added minimal extra protection to the age group. Biden government officials said the US government currently has several doses of vaccines to meet the demand for another round of booster vaccines for older Americans, even though funding for the US pandemic has run out. They say if Congress does not approve more spending, the government will likely not be able to pay for future vaccinations if needed, especially if the vaccines need to be redesigned to target new variants. Here in Canada, fourth installments are already offered to people who belong to certain high-risk groups, such as long-term residents or those who are immunosuppressed.
