The head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on a recommendation for updated COVID-19 vaccines for everyone over the age of 6 months, setting up the shots to become available later this week.
“We have more tools than ever to prevent the worst outcomes from COVID-19,” CDC Director Mandy Cohen said in a statement.
The Food and Drug Administration this week authorized the shots from Moderna and Pfizer that target the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5.
An FDA official said during the meeting that “there is an urgent need for alternatives to mRNA based vaccines including gene based vaccines,” like the Novavax shot.
The updated shots come as the U.S. sees its eighth straight week of rising coronavirus hospitalizations.
Persons:
Mandy Cohen, ”, “ We're, ” Cohen
Organizations:
Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, CDC, Drug Administration, Moderna, Pfizer, FDA, EG, ” Health
Locations:
COVID, U.S