The US Food and Drug Administration has approved updated COVID-19 booster vaccines designed to combat the emerging Omicron variants, including the XBB.1.5 subvariant.
These vaccines, developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, are set to be deployed later this month. The move follows a surge in recent COVID cases and the rapid spread of the EG.5 subvariant, often called “Eris,” in the United States.
These updated vaccines are for people 12 and older and emergency use for kids 6 months to 11 years old. Also as a result of this update, the original bivalent Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be authorized for use in the United States.
Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, emphasized the importance of vaccination in protecting against severe COVID-19 outcomes: “Vaccination remains critical to public health and continued protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death.”
Both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech have conducted tests demonstrating the effectiveness of their updated vaccines against the EG.5 variant, which is currently the dominant strain in the United States.
Dr. Ugur Sahin, CEO and co-founder of BioNTech, stated, “With today’s decision, an updated vaccine will shortly become available that helps address multiple Omicron XBB-related sublineages, which currently account for the vast majority of COVID-19 cases globally.”
Next, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, an independent group advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will assess the safety and efficacy of these updated vaccines.
Once the CDC director approves their recommendations, the vaccines can be administered. This process is expected to happen swiftly, with vaccines potentially available at select pharmacies and doctor’s offices in the coming days.
The updated COVID-19 vaccine, administered as a single dose, is expected to be accessible to all who need it and is likely to remain free for the foreseeable future.
