The COVID-19 pandemic has been raging for over two years, and vaccine manufacturers are still developing new formulations to combat the rising variants of the virus. People who have received all available COVID-19 vaccinations are now seeking a third booster shot to avoid the risk of contracting COVID-19 again. However, the U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only authorized one booster dose of the newest formulations of vaccines, the so-called bivalent shots.
FDA considering second booster dose with bivalent vaccines
The FDA is planning for an annual COVID booster campaign starting in the fall with vaccines that will have been updated to target whichever variant is expected to be circulating next winter. However, some vulnerable people who are at high risk because of compromised immune systems or are 65 and older are seeking a second booster shot before the scheduled annual COVID booster campaign begins. The FDA may authorize a second booster with the bivalent vaccines for at least some people, and a decision could be announced within weeks.
The protection people got from their last COVID shot has been fading, and there is no good evidence showing protection against serious illness has faded significantly or that getting another shot would help that much. Nonetheless, some vaccine specialists are urging to get the second bivalent spring booster out there to avoid wastage of doses that will be expiring and will be thrown out.
US health officials recommend one updated booster dose
In accordance with the situation, US health officials recommend one updated booster dose for everyone to maintain protection from severe illness. More than one updated booster is not authorized by the U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration.
The current focus is shifting from preventing new infections to reducing the severity of the disease. Protection provided by the bivalent booster shot, which guards against the original coronavirus strain and omicron subvariants, decreases after a few months.
Currently, there is not enough data to justify another round of shots. Most people in the US are probably immune from infection or vaccination, or both. Only 16.4% of those eligible for booster shots in the US have received them. Several countries like the UK and Canada have begun offering additional boosters to those at high risk, and WHO updated its COVID19 vaccination guidelines prioritizing booster shots for older and high-risk groups.
US officials weighing bivalent booster shots for high-risk individuals
US officials are considering offering bivalent booster shots to individuals who are at high risk of severe Covid19. Most Americans have put pandemic precautions in the rearview, but some who are trying to protect themselves or their loved ones from severe illness have been anxiously wondering how soon they can get another shot.
Research has shown that the protection from Covid19 vaccines fades after six months as levels of neutralizing antibodies in the blood fall. The bivalent booster vaccine includes instructions to help the body fight off Covid19, with one for identifying the ancestral strain and the other for recognizing and attacking the Omicron virus and its descendants.
The bivalent booster vaccine is recommended for all Americans 5 and older at least two months after their last dose of a vaccine or three months after a Covid19 infection. Protection from bivalent boosters may be waning as data suggests, after four months, the added protection from bivalent vaccines for hospital or emergency room visits because of Covid19 falls to a little more than 30%.
In the UK and Canada, certain people are allowed to get another bivalent booster, including adults 75 and older, seniors who live in residential care homes, and anyone over the age of 12 who has suppressed immune function. Vaccine manufacturers may ask the FDA to tweak its emergency use authorizations to include permissive language that would allow for a second bivalent dose.
While some experts support giving people the flexibility to get another booster dose if their doctors feel like they need it, others worry that it might wind up giving them a false sense of security but little extra protection.
In conclusion, people who have received all available COVID-19 vaccinations are now seeking a third booster shot to avoid the risk of contracting COVID-19 again. US health officials recommend one updated booster dose for everyone to maintain protection from severe illness, whilst considering bivalent boosters for high-risk individuals. Nonetheless, there is not enough data to justify another round of shots, and experts worry giving people a false sense of security amid rising variants. People should continue to take precautions and be vigilant towards the pandemic situation.
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