The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved another round of the COVID-19 Booster on September 11. This booster is manufactured by ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer-BioNTech Inc. The vaccine is expected to specifically combat the Omicron variant that is currently circulating. The FDA also speculates that COVID-19 vaccines may have to be updated yearly, similar to the influenza vaccine.
The new Covid boosters are approved for individuals 12 years of age and older but can be used in emergency situations for children between the ages of six months and 11 years of age. Although younger individuals are less likely to have serious effects of COVID-19, this vaccine helps reduce the risk of severe illness. With Covid cases slowly increasing, the hope is for the new round of vaccines to prevent mass hospitalization. Last year’s Covid vaccine was only administered in 20% of the adults in the United States. However, deaths due to Covid have reduced due to high vaccine rates in older Americans.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also voted to authorize the new round of vaccines. Dr. Peter Marks, the director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research stated, “The public can be assured that these updated vaccines have met the agency’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality.”
The FDA is actively urging individuals to get the vaccination as it may provide protection against other subvariants as well. This year marks the first time Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccinations are approved alongside influenza vaccinations and Covid booster vaccinations. Dr. Tochi Iroku-Malize, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, urges those over the age of 60 to consider taking RSV shots. The CDC advises for individuals to get influenza shots in September or October for peak effectiveness. Taking these other vaccines alongside the booster helps protect against multiple illnesses and severe side effects.
While Covid remains unpredictable, many institutions such as the Duke Human Vaccine Institute continue to develop a pan-coronavirus vaccine which can combat multiple variants at once, eliminating the need for frequent vaccinations. While such technology may appear in the future, this vaccine is currently proven to combat circulating variants.
