U.S. Health Agencies Recommend First Omicron Booster Shot

In two votes, each 13-1, the immunization committee of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that Americans receive an Omicron-specific booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Following a day-long discussion of the available data on Sept. 1, the panel recommended boosters from two manufacturers—Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, both of whom make mRNA-based vaccines; the new booster made by Pfizer-BioNTech is for people 12 years and older, and the Moderna shot is for adults 18 years and older. The group also advised that people wait until at least two months after their previous dose before getting one of the two new booster shots. Within hours of the vote, CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky accepted the committee’s advice to recommend the new booster. [time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”] The Omicron boosters can “help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants,” she said in a statement announcing her decision. “This recommendation followed a comprehensive scientific evaluation and robust scientific discussion. If you are eligible, there is no bad time to get your COVID-19 booster and I strongly encourage you to receive it.” The CDC’s guidance comes a day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized the Omicron-specific shots by both companies. The booster is the first to target a variant of the SARS...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized COVID-19 healthscienceclimate Source Type: news