US approves booster Omicron vaccine for the elderly

The agency also said the updated vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will become the new primary COVID-19 vaccine and revoke emergency use authorization for older vaccines that only target the original variants of the coronavirus.

Photo: AP

The agency said people aged 65 and older can now get a second booster dose of the new vaccine four months after their first shot, while those with immune deficiencies can get an additional dose of the updated vaccine two months after.

The FDA's decision comes a day before a meeting of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expert advisory panel on updating COVID-19 vaccination guidelines.

The CDC would have to release these second shots, designed specifically for Omicron, for them to be widely available. The FDA authorized this new COVID-19 vaccine last August, which targets the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants, along with the original COVID strain.

Only about 17% of the US population has received two doses of this chemo-boosted vaccine, but among people 65 and older, the uptake rate is higher, about 42.6%.

The revocation of authorization for older vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech comes at a time when the FDA plans to shift to a campaign similar to how Americans get flu shots.

The FDA also said it will hold another meeting with its advisers in June to discuss COVID-19 vaccines for next fall, with mRNA vaccine makers expected to update their shots once specific strains are selected.

Hoang Anh (according to Reuters, CNA, AP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/my-cap-phep-tiem-tang-cuong-vac-xin-nham-muc-tieu-omicron-cho-nguoi-gia-post244282.html