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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

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday authorized updated COVID-19 shots that could roll out as soon as this week. “Vaccination remains critical to public health and continued protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death,” said Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “The public can be assured that these updated vaccines have met the agency’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality. The fall booster shot campaign comes as the U.S. sees its seventh straight week of rising COVID-19 hospitalizations. COVID-19 deaths appear to be rising slightly, but the provisional data from the CDC is prone to amendments and delays.

Persons: ”, Peter Marks Organizations: Drug Administration, FDA’s, Biologics, Centers for Disease Control, EG Locations: U.S

Data is trickling in on a new COVID-19 strain nicknamed “pirola,” giving researchers a wider picture of what the variant could mean for the U.S. and the world. Van Kerkhove said that the global COVID-19 variant picture is complex, and that while BA.2.86 is spreading, it is not currently outcompeting other strains. “It is quite a complex picture globally in terms of how these variants behave because different variants circulate in different countries at different times.”Will Vaccines Work on Pirola? Moderna and Pfizer have announced that early data indicates that their updated vaccines do produce an immune response against BA.2.86. "These results demonstrate that our updated COVID-19 vaccine generates a strong human immune response against the highly mutated BA.2.86 variant.

Persons: “ pirola, ” Mandy Cohen, Maria Van Kerkhove, ” Benjamin Murrell, Ashish Jha, pirola, Van Kerkhove, it’s, ”, “, Stephen Hoge Organizations: U.S, CDC, Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization, WHO, White, Moderna, Pfizer, EG Locations: United States, Denmark, Sweden, Portugal, Israel, Canada, South Africa

Last month was the hottest August on record, topping off the hottest summer on record, according to climate scientists. June through August was the warmest summer on record globally by a “large margin,” according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service. Well-above average temperatures also occurred in Australia, several South American countries and around much of Antarctica, according to the service. Climate change certainly left its mark on the summer, with one report finding that more than 80% of humanity – or 4 in 5 people – experienced a hotter July largely due to human-caused climate change. Cartoons on Climate Change View All 167 Images“The dog days of summer are not just barking, they are biting,” António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, said in a statement.

Persons: Samantha Burgess, –, António Guterres, El, Burgess Organizations: United Nations Locations: U.S, Europe, Asia, Australia, Antarctica

"These results demonstrate that our updated COVID-19 vaccine generates a strong human immune response against the highly mutated BA.2.86 variant. "Moderna will continue to rapidly assess global public health threats and is committed to leveraging our mRNA platform against COVID-19." The company’s announcement comes as the Biden administration prepares to authorize the updated shots from Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax as soon as next week. While the shots target XBB.1.5, which was responsible for about 3% of new infections in recent weeks, researchers are optimistic that it will hold up against other circulating variants. “With governments accelerating the timing of COVID-19 vaccination campaigns due to the potential risk of BA.2.86, Moderna has shared this data with regulators and is ready to supply its updated COVID-19 vaccine pending regulatory approval,” the company wrote in a press release.

Persons: “ pirola, Stephen Hoge, Ashish Jha, ” Pirola, Biden Organizations: Moderna, Wednesday, EG, COVID, White, Centers for Disease Control, Pfizer, Novavax Locations: U.S, Moderna

The coronavirus strain nicknamed “eris” was responsible for more than 1 in 5 new infections in recent weeks, according to updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. EG.5, or “eris,” is the top strain circulating in the U.S., causing nearly 22% of cases over the past two weeks, according to CDC data. Its rise in the U.S. comes as COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased for six straight weeks. According to the CDC, BA.2.86 was responsible for less than 1% of infections over the past two weeks in the U.S. The CDC updated its risk assessment for BA.2.86 this week.

Persons: ”, It’s Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, EG, World Health Organization, WHO, CDC, U.S Locations: U.S

Coronavirus is on the rise in the U.S., prompting questions about when Americans can roll up their sleeves for the next COVID-19 vaccine. The updated shots target XBB.1.5, which was responsible for less than 5% of new coronavirus infections in recent weeks. But all the strains circulating are still descendants of omicron, so experts believe the shots will still protect against severe COVID-19 from the variants. Historically, vaccine uptake decreases each time a new coronavirus shot is offered. Just 17% of Americans as of May rolled up their sleeves for the latest round of shots offered.

Persons: it’s, Biden, ” Mandy Cohen, Novavax, – Cohen, ” Cohen, Cohen, ” Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, CDC, Food and Drug Administration, Pfizer, FDA, EG Locations: U.S, COVID, Moderna

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