The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted clearance for an additional COVID-19 booster dose for older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems in the United States. This move aims to provide added protection during the spring season, while also simplifying the vaccination process for the general population.
According to the FDA, individuals who are 65 years or older can choose to receive a booster dose as long as at least four months have passed since their initial dose of the bivalent vaccine that targets omicron strains. Additionally, most people with compromised immune systems can opt for another bivalent booster shot at least two months after their last dose, with further doses to be determined by their physician.
In a significant change, the FDA has also declared that the original versions of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are now outdated and will no longer be administered. Instead, individuals receiving a Pfizer or Moderna shot will be given the newer omicron-targeted version. For those receiving their first-ever vaccine, a single combo dose will suffice.
The FDA will also determine in the summer if younger, healthy individuals will eventually be offered a second bivalent booster, even if they have received their original vaccinations but have not yet had an omicron-targeted booster.
Similar recommendations for an extra spring booster have already been made by authorities in Britain and Canada for vulnerable populations. High-risk Americans who last received a dose in the fall have been eagerly awaiting news on when they can receive another booster.
The Pfizer and Moderna boosters provide protection against both the original coronavirus strain and the omicron variants known as BA.4 and BA.5. Despite the emergence of newer omicron variants, recent studies have shown that the bivalent shots remain effective.
While COVID-19 has become less of a health fear and more of an inconvenience for many Americans, with masking and routine testing becoming less common, the virus still poses a significant risk, with at least 250 people in the U.S. dying from COVID-19 each day, many of them elderly or frail. Booster doses continue to be effective in fighting severe disease and death, even with the emergence of more contagious variants.
Dr. Matthew Laurens of the University of Maryland School of Medicine believes that a spring second booster for eligible high-risk groups is a reasonable choice to protect against severe consequences. He stated, “We do have vaccines that are available to protect against these severe consequences, so why not use them? They don’t do any good just sitting on a shelf. So let’s give them to individuals who are at the highest risk and who can benefit the most.”
However, CDC data shows that only 42% of Americans aged 65 and older, and just 20% of all adults, received their first bivalent vaccine when they were rolled out last fall.
The FDA’s simplification of the vaccination process also impacts unvaccinated children. If parents wish to have their children vaccinated, those under 5 years old may receive two doses of the bivalent Moderna vaccine or three doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent vaccine. Children who are already 5 years old may receive a single bivalent Pfizer shot or two doses of Moderna, depending on their vaccination history, as determined by the FDA.