Why it matters: There are still people at risk.
Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax have said they will need time to manufacture tens of millions of doses of the vaccine, which are expected to go on sale in the fall.
“I think that’s what we’re talking about today,” said FDA Vaccine Officer Dr. Peter Marks. It’s about figuring out how to provide protection for the chief. “Further evolution of the virus” could also occur in winter, he added.
Since the pandemic began, 6.2 million people have been hospitalized and 1.1 million have died in the United States, according to data presented by Natalie Thornberg, a vaccine expert at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
He said the situation has improved this year, but those who remain vulnerable include those who have not been vaccinated, those with weakened immune systems, those with diabetes and chronic kidney disease, lung, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. said to include people suffering from People over the age of 65 are also at risk, and the risk increases with age.
Background: There is a shift in who gets injections and when.
The bivalent vaccine offered last fall included protection against Omicron variants and early novel coronavirus variants.About 20 percent of U.S. adults, or about 53 million people got a booster shotthe proportion increases with age.
Promoting vaccination against only XBB variants means that newborns and people with weakened immune systems may not have immunity to early coronavirus variants. A World Health Organization official said that shouldn’t be a problem and that the variants are no longer in circulation.
What’s next: Vaccines may be offered alongside flu and RSV shots.
The FDA will soon issue more formal recommendations to vaccine makers. Manufacturers are required to study new formulations and submit data to authorities. If approved, the CDC will advise health care providers on which age groups to administer Jab.
An FDA spokeswoman said the latest vaccine could be available by late September, assuming the data support a safe and effective vaccine.
It remains unclear whether or when vaccine manufacturers and the FDA will investigate the potential impact of administering multiple vaccines in the fall, including vaccines for influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). , and these vaccines are expected to become available to pregnant women and the elderly. . Agency advisers also support the use of RSV antibody injections to protect infants.
