The Food and Drug Administration’s move alters the recipe for shots made by Pfizer and rival Moderna that have already saved millions of lives. The hope is that modified amps will dampen another winter surge. “You’re going to see me at the front of the line,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press shortly before his agency cleared the new doses. For Canada, Moderna announced last week that it will supply 12 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine tailored to target the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. A Health Canada spokesman said Aug. 22 that a decision on Moderna’s bivalent vaccine is expected within the next two weeks.
“The widest opportunity for protection”
Until now, vaccines for COVID-19 have targeted the original strain of the coronavirus, even as vastly different mutants emerged. The new US boosters are combination or “bivalent” shots. They contain half of that original vaccine recipe and half of the protection from Omicron’s newer versions, called BA.4 and BA.5, which are considered the most contagious yet. The combination aims to increase cross-protection against multiple variants. “It really provides the broadest opportunity for protection,” Pfizer vaccine chief Annaliesa Anderson told the AP. There’s one more step before a U.S. fall booster campaign begins: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must recommend who should get the extra vaccine. (Luke Dray/Getty Images) Updated boosters are only intended for people who have already had their initial vaccinations using the original vaccines. The doses made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech are for anyone 12 years and older, while Moderna’s updated vaccines are for adults if it’s been at least two months since their last primary vaccination or their last booster. They should not be used for primary vaccinations. There’s one more step before a fall booster campaign begins: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must recommend who should get the extra shot. A major CDC advisory panel will discuss the evidence Thursday, including whether people at high risk from COVID-19 should go first. “As we head into fall and begin spending more time indoors, we strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to consider receiving a booster dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection than current variants,” FDA Commissioner, Dr. Robert Califf said in a statement. The US has purchased more than 170 million doses from the two companies. Pfizer said it could ship up to 15 million of those doses by the end of next week. The big question is whether people tired of vaccinations will roll up their sleeves again. Just half of vaccinated Americans received the first recommended booster dose, and only a third of those 50 and older who were told to receive a second booster did so. British health authorities have approved an updated version of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine that aims to protect against the original virus and the Omicron variant. (Rogelio V. Solis/The Associated Press) It’s time for U.S. authorities to better explain that the public should expect an updated COVID-19 vaccination every now and then, like the fall flu shot or a tetanus booster after biting a rusty fingernail, said immunologist E. John Wherry from the University of Pennsylvania. “We need to rebrand it in a socially normal way,” rather than a panicked response to new mutants, Wherry said. “Give a clear, long-term set of expectations.” Here’s the rub: The original vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness and death from COVID-19 for most generally healthy people, especially if they received that important first booster dose. It’s unclear how much more benefit an updated booster would provide beyond a temporary jump in antibodies capable of preventing an Omicron infection. One reason: The FDA cleared the modifications before human studies, a step toward eventually treating the COVID-19 vaccine updates more like annual flu shots. WATCHES | Health Canada poised to approve new Omicron-targeted vaccine
Health Canada poised to approve new Omicron-targeted vaccine
Health Canada says it could make a decision on approval of Moderna’s new Omicron-targeted vaccine within two weeks. If approved, it will leave Canadians with a decision: wait for the new vaccine or boost with an existing vaccine. First, the FDA reviewed human studies of previous attempts by Pfizer and Moderna to update their vaccines — shots that matched the micron strain that hit last winter. This recipe change was safe and substantially boosted antibodies targeting the earlier variant—better than another dose of the original vaccine—while adding some protection against today’s genetically distinct BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions. But the FDA has ordered the companies to make even more updated doses targeting these newer microbe mutants, sparking a race to roll them out in less than three months. Rather than waiting a few more months for additional human studies on this prescription tweak, Marks said animal tests showed the latest update promotes “a very good immune response.” The hope, he said, is that a vaccine that matches the current variants that are spreading could do a better job of fighting infection, not just severe disease, at least for a while. What’s next? Even as modified plans are released, Moderna and Pfizer conduct human studies to help assess their value, including how they hold up if a new mutant emerges. And for children, Pfizer plans to ask the FDA to allow updated boosters for children ages five to 11 in early October. It’s the first U.S. update on the COVID-19 vaccine prescription, an important but expected next step — much like how flu vaccines are updated each year. And the US is not alone. Britain has recently decided to offer adults over 50 a different booster option from Moderna, a composite download that targets this initial strain BA.1 omicron. European regulators are considering whether to approve one or both of the updated formulas.
title: “Us Regulators Approve Updated Covid 19 Boosters Targeting Newer Variants Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-22” author: “Martha Cole”
The Food and Drug Administration’s move alters the recipe for shots made by Pfizer and rival Moderna that have already saved millions of lives. The hope is that modified amps will dampen another winter surge. “You’re going to see me at the front of the line,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press shortly before his agency cleared the new doses. For Canada, Moderna announced last week that it will supply 12 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine tailored to target the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. A Health Canada spokesman said Aug. 22 that a decision on Moderna’s bivalent vaccine is expected within the next two weeks.
“The widest opportunity for protection”
Until now, vaccines for COVID-19 have targeted the original strain of the coronavirus, even as vastly different mutants emerged. The new US boosters are combination or “bivalent” shots. They contain half of that original vaccine recipe and half of the protection from Omicron’s newer versions, called BA.4 and BA.5, which are considered the most contagious yet. The combination aims to increase cross-protection against multiple variants. “It really provides the broadest opportunity for protection,” Pfizer vaccine chief Annaliesa Anderson told the AP. There’s one more step before a U.S. fall booster campaign begins: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must recommend who should get the extra vaccine. (Luke Dray/Getty Images) Updated boosters are only intended for people who have already had their initial vaccinations using the original vaccines. The doses made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech are for anyone 12 years and older, while Moderna’s updated vaccines are for adults if it’s been at least two months since their last primary vaccination or their last booster. They should not be used for primary vaccinations. There’s one more step before a fall booster campaign begins: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must recommend who should get the extra shot. A major CDC advisory panel will discuss the evidence Thursday, including whether people at high risk from COVID-19 should go first. “As we head into fall and begin spending more time indoors, we strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to consider receiving a booster dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection than current variants,” FDA Commissioner, Dr. Robert Califf said in a statement. The US has purchased more than 170 million doses from the two companies. Pfizer said it could ship up to 15 million of those doses by the end of next week. The big question is whether people tired of vaccinations will roll up their sleeves again. Just half of vaccinated Americans received the first recommended booster dose, and only a third of those 50 and older who were told to receive a second booster did so. British health authorities have approved an updated version of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine that aims to protect against the original virus and the Omicron variant. (Rogelio V. Solis/The Associated Press) It’s time for U.S. authorities to better explain that the public should expect an updated COVID-19 vaccination every now and then, like the fall flu shot or a tetanus booster after biting a rusty fingernail, said immunologist E. John Wherry from the University of Pennsylvania. “We need to rebrand it in a socially normal way,” rather than a panicked response to new mutants, Wherry said. “Give a clear, long-term set of expectations.” Here’s the rub: The original vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness and death from COVID-19 for most generally healthy people, especially if they received that important first booster dose. It’s unclear how much more benefit an updated booster would provide beyond a temporary jump in antibodies capable of preventing an Omicron infection. One reason: The FDA cleared the modifications before human studies, a step toward eventually treating the COVID-19 vaccine updates more like annual flu shots. WATCHES | Health Canada poised to approve new Omicron-targeted vaccine
Health Canada poised to approve new Omicron-targeted vaccine
Health Canada says it could make a decision on approval of Moderna’s new Omicron-targeted vaccine within two weeks. If approved, it will leave Canadians with a decision: wait for the new vaccine or boost with an existing vaccine. First, the FDA reviewed human studies of previous attempts by Pfizer and Moderna to update their vaccines — shots that matched the micron strain that hit last winter. This recipe change was safe and substantially boosted antibodies targeting the earlier variant—better than another dose of the original vaccine—while adding some protection against today’s genetically distinct BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions. But the FDA has ordered the companies to make even more updated doses targeting these newer microbe mutants, sparking a race to roll them out in less than three months. Rather than waiting a few more months for additional human studies on this prescription tweak, Marks said animal tests showed the latest update promotes “a very good immune response.” The hope, he said, is that a vaccine that matches the current variants that are spreading could do a better job of fighting infection, not just severe disease, at least for a while. What’s next? Even as modified plans are released, Moderna and Pfizer conduct human studies to help assess their value, including how they hold up if a new mutant emerges. And for children, Pfizer plans to ask the FDA to allow updated boosters for children ages five to 11 in early October. It’s the first U.S. update on the COVID-19 vaccine prescription, an important but expected next step — much like how flu vaccines are updated each year. And the US is not alone. Britain has recently decided to offer adults over 50 a different booster option from Moderna, a composite download that targets this initial strain BA.1 omicron. European regulators are considering whether to approve one or both of the updated formulas.
title: “Us Regulators Approve Updated Covid 19 Boosters Targeting Newer Variants Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-25” author: “Joshua Carter”
The Food and Drug Administration’s move alters the recipe for shots made by Pfizer and rival Moderna that have already saved millions of lives. The hope is that modified amps will dampen another winter surge. “You’re going to see me at the front of the line,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press shortly before his agency cleared the new doses. For Canada, Moderna announced last week that it will supply 12 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine tailored to target the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. A Health Canada spokesman said Aug. 22 that a decision on Moderna’s bivalent vaccine is expected within the next two weeks.
“The widest opportunity for protection”
Until now, vaccines for COVID-19 have targeted the original strain of the coronavirus, even as vastly different mutants emerged. The new US boosters are combination or “bivalent” shots. They contain half of that original vaccine recipe and half of the protection from Omicron’s newer versions, called BA.4 and BA.5, which are considered the most contagious yet. The combination aims to increase cross-protection against multiple variants. “It really provides the broadest opportunity for protection,” Pfizer vaccine chief Annaliesa Anderson told the AP. There’s one more step before a U.S. fall booster campaign begins: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must recommend who should get the extra vaccine. (Luke Dray/Getty Images) Updated boosters are only intended for people who have already had their initial vaccinations using the original vaccines. The doses made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech are for anyone 12 years and older, while Moderna’s updated vaccines are for adults if it’s been at least two months since their last primary vaccination or their last booster. They should not be used for primary vaccinations. There’s one more step before a fall booster campaign begins: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must recommend who should get the extra shot. A major CDC advisory panel will discuss the evidence Thursday, including whether people at high risk from COVID-19 should go first. “As we head into fall and begin spending more time indoors, we strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to consider receiving a booster dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection than current variants,” FDA Commissioner, Dr. Robert Califf said in a statement. The US has purchased more than 170 million doses from the two companies. Pfizer said it could ship up to 15 million of those doses by the end of next week. The big question is whether people tired of vaccinations will roll up their sleeves again. Just half of vaccinated Americans received the first recommended booster dose, and only a third of those 50 and older who were told to receive a second booster did so. British health authorities have approved an updated version of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine that aims to protect against the original virus and the Omicron variant. (Rogelio V. Solis/The Associated Press) It’s time for U.S. authorities to better explain that the public should expect an updated COVID-19 vaccination every now and then, like the fall flu shot or a tetanus booster after biting a rusty fingernail, said immunologist E. John Wherry from the University of Pennsylvania. “We need to rebrand it in a socially normal way,” rather than a panicked response to new mutants, Wherry said. “Give a clear, long-term set of expectations.” Here’s the rub: The original vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness and death from COVID-19 for most generally healthy people, especially if they received that important first booster dose. It’s unclear how much more benefit an updated booster would provide beyond a temporary jump in antibodies capable of preventing an Omicron infection. One reason: The FDA cleared the modifications before human studies, a step toward eventually treating the COVID-19 vaccine updates more like annual flu shots. WATCHES | Health Canada poised to approve new Omicron-targeted vaccine
Health Canada poised to approve new Omicron-targeted vaccine
Health Canada says it could make a decision on approval of Moderna’s new Omicron-targeted vaccine within two weeks. If approved, it will leave Canadians with a decision: wait for the new vaccine or boost with an existing vaccine. First, the FDA reviewed human studies of previous attempts by Pfizer and Moderna to update their vaccines — shots that matched the micron strain that hit last winter. This recipe change was safe and substantially boosted antibodies targeting the earlier variant—better than another dose of the original vaccine—while adding some protection against today’s genetically distinct BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions. But the FDA has ordered the companies to make even more updated doses targeting these newer microbe mutants, sparking a race to roll them out in less than three months. Rather than waiting a few more months for additional human studies on this prescription tweak, Marks said animal tests showed the latest update promotes “a very good immune response.” The hope, he said, is that a vaccine that matches the current variants that are spreading could do a better job of fighting infection, not just severe disease, at least for a while. What’s next? Even as modified plans are released, Moderna and Pfizer conduct human studies to help assess their value, including how they hold up if a new mutant emerges. And for children, Pfizer plans to ask the FDA to allow updated boosters for children ages five to 11 in early October. It’s the first U.S. update on the COVID-19 vaccine prescription, an important but expected next step — much like how flu vaccines are updated each year. And the US is not alone. Britain has recently decided to offer adults over 50 a different booster option from Moderna, a composite download that targets this initial strain BA.1 omicron. European regulators are considering whether to approve one or both of the updated formulas.
title: “Us Regulators Approve Updated Covid 19 Boosters Targeting Newer Variants Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-17” author: “Deborah Frost”
The Food and Drug Administration’s move alters the recipe for shots made by Pfizer and rival Moderna that have already saved millions of lives. The hope is that modified amps will dampen another winter surge. “You’re going to see me at the front of the line,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks told The Associated Press shortly before his agency cleared the new doses. For Canada, Moderna announced last week that it will supply 12 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine tailored to target the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. A Health Canada spokesman said Aug. 22 that a decision on Moderna’s bivalent vaccine is expected within the next two weeks.
“The widest opportunity for protection”
Until now, vaccines for COVID-19 have targeted the original strain of the coronavirus, even as vastly different mutants emerged. The new US boosters are combination or “bivalent” shots. They contain half of that original vaccine recipe and half of the protection from Omicron’s newer versions, called BA.4 and BA.5, which are considered the most contagious yet. The combination aims to increase cross-protection against multiple variants. “It really provides the broadest opportunity for protection,” Pfizer vaccine chief Annaliesa Anderson told the AP. There’s one more step before a U.S. fall booster campaign begins: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must recommend who should get the extra vaccine. (Luke Dray/Getty Images) Updated boosters are only intended for people who have already had their initial vaccinations using the original vaccines. The doses made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech are for anyone 12 years and older, while Moderna’s updated vaccines are for adults if it’s been at least two months since their last primary vaccination or their last booster. They should not be used for primary vaccinations. There’s one more step before a fall booster campaign begins: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must recommend who should get the extra shot. A major CDC advisory panel will discuss the evidence Thursday, including whether people at high risk from COVID-19 should go first. “As we head into fall and begin spending more time indoors, we strongly encourage anyone who is eligible to consider receiving a booster dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection than current variants,” FDA Commissioner, Dr. Robert Califf said in a statement. The US has purchased more than 170 million doses from the two companies. Pfizer said it could ship up to 15 million of those doses by the end of next week. The big question is whether people tired of vaccinations will roll up their sleeves again. Just half of vaccinated Americans received the first recommended booster dose, and only a third of those 50 and older who were told to receive a second booster did so. British health authorities have approved an updated version of Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine that aims to protect against the original virus and the Omicron variant. (Rogelio V. Solis/The Associated Press) It’s time for U.S. authorities to better explain that the public should expect an updated COVID-19 vaccination every now and then, like the fall flu shot or a tetanus booster after biting a rusty fingernail, said immunologist E. John Wherry from the University of Pennsylvania. “We need to rebrand it in a socially normal way,” rather than a panicked response to new mutants, Wherry said. “Give a clear, long-term set of expectations.” Here’s the rub: The original vaccines still offer strong protection against serious illness and death from COVID-19 for most generally healthy people, especially if they received that important first booster dose. It’s unclear how much more benefit an updated booster would provide beyond a temporary jump in antibodies capable of preventing an Omicron infection. One reason: The FDA cleared the modifications before human studies, a step toward eventually treating the COVID-19 vaccine updates more like annual flu shots. WATCHES | Health Canada poised to approve new Omicron-targeted vaccine
Health Canada poised to approve new Omicron-targeted vaccine
Health Canada says it could make a decision on approval of Moderna’s new Omicron-targeted vaccine within two weeks. If approved, it will leave Canadians with a decision: wait for the new vaccine or boost with an existing vaccine. First, the FDA reviewed human studies of previous attempts by Pfizer and Moderna to update their vaccines — shots that matched the micron strain that hit last winter. This recipe change was safe and substantially boosted antibodies targeting the earlier variant—better than another dose of the original vaccine—while adding some protection against today’s genetically distinct BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions. But the FDA has ordered the companies to make even more updated doses targeting these newer microbe mutants, sparking a race to roll them out in less than three months. Rather than waiting a few more months for additional human studies on this prescription tweak, Marks said animal tests showed the latest update promotes “a very good immune response.” The hope, he said, is that a vaccine that matches the current variants that are spreading could do a better job of fighting infection, not just severe disease, at least for a while. What’s next? Even as modified plans are released, Moderna and Pfizer conduct human studies to help assess their value, including how they hold up if a new mutant emerges. And for children, Pfizer plans to ask the FDA to allow updated boosters for children ages five to 11 in early October. It’s the first U.S. update on the COVID-19 vaccine prescription, an important but expected next step — much like how flu vaccines are updated each year. And the US is not alone. Britain has recently decided to offer adults over 50 a different booster option from Moderna, a composite download that targets this initial strain BA.1 omicron. European regulators are considering whether to approve one or both of the updated formulas.
