Updated Covid booster shots targeting omicron’s BA.5 subvariant should be here within in the next three weeks.
Pfizer’s “bivalent” shot, which targets both the original Covid strain and omicron’s BA.5 subvariant, is expected to be authorized first. The CDC says it’ll likely come with a wide eligibility swath: the full group of vaccinated Americans ages 12 and up.
Moderna’s bivalent shot is expected to follow suit later, most likely in October. It’ll come with a somewhat narrower range of eligibility, at least at first: vaccinated people ages 18 and older. Read more here.
FDA authorizes Novavax COVID vaccine for adolescents
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday cleared Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in adolescents, paving the way to expand eligibility for the fourth shot available in the United States.
The two-dose regimen utilizes protein-based technology previously leveraged in vaccines to combat other viruses, offering an alternative for Americans skeptical of Pfizer and Moderna’s mRNA technology. Providers can begin administering the vaccine to people aged 12 through 17 after a sign off from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which has already authorized the vaccine’s use for adults. The two doses are given three weeks apart. Read more here.
Severe Allergies as Side Effect of Novavax COVID Vaccine
The European Medicines Agency on Thursday identified severe allergic reactions as potential side effects of Novavax Inc’s (NVAX.O) COVID-19 vaccine. Read more here.
