- Wednesday, the FDA authorized emergency use of new Covid-19 booster shots, marking the first time the vaccines have been updated. [Science / Gretchen Vogel]
- The Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech boosters target the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which are now responsible for almost 90 percent of US cases. [Reuters / Mrinalika Roy and Julie Steenhuysen]
- The FDA authorized Pfizer/BioNTech’s booster for people 12 and older who completed their first vaccine series, while Moderna’s is approved for those 18 and older. The boosters should be taken at least two months after a previous dose. [NPR / Scott Hensley and Rob Stein]
- The new jabs are part of the federal government’s effort to encourage the public to get boosted to avoid a fall surge as people spend more time indoors. [Washington Post / Laurie McGinley]
- Because of time constraints, the booster effectiveness is based on animal studies and data from BA.1. It’s unclear exactly how well the vaccines will perform against BA.4 and BA.5; human trial data could be available in two months. [CNBC / Spencer Kimball]
- The CDC is meeting this week to determine guidelines for administering booster shots. If approved, new doses could arrive next week. [Vox / Umair Irfan]
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