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☆ CDC Oversells the ‘Bivalent’ Covid Shot
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Paul A. Offit | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone over 12 receive a “bivalent” Covid-19 vaccine as a booster dose. But only a select group are likely to benefit, and the evidence to date doesn’t support the view that a bivalent vaccine containing omicron or its subvariants is better than the monovalent vaccine. The existing Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines were designed to protect against the original strain of the novel coronavirus, known as Wuhan-1. Between January 2020 and December 2021, D614G was replaced by the alpha variant then the delta variant. At the end of 2021, Oxford conducted a study to determine whether the mRNA vaccines still provided protection against severe illness and death caused by the variants.

☆ WHO warns ability to identify new Covid variants is diminishing as testing declines
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The World Health Organization on Thursday warned that it is struggling to identify and track new Covid variants as governments roll back testing and surveillance, threatening the progress made in the fight against the virus. The WHO is "deeply concerned" that it is evolving at a time when there is no longer robust testing in place to help rapidly identify new variants, Van Kerkhove said. "Our ability to track variants and subvariants around the world is diminishing because surveillance is declining," Van Kerkhove told reporters during an update in Geneva. "That limits our ability to assess the known variants and subvariants but also our ability to track and identify new ones." "In most countries, restrictions have ended and life looks much like it did before the pandemic," Tedros said.

☆ Omicron-specific Covid boosters for children ages 5 to 11 are 'only a matter of weeks away,' says FDA vaccine chief
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

New omicron-specific Covid boosters for children ages 5 to 11 are "only a matter of weeks away," according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's vaccine chief. Marks added that an authorization for the youngest age group — kids under 5 — is still "a few months away." The CDC expects Pfizer's redesigned booster to be for children ages 5 to 11, and Moderna's to be for children ages 6 to 17. Currently, children ages 5 to 11 are only eligible to receive Covid vaccines for their primary series, and a single monovalent booster dose from Pfizer. If the new bivalent boosters receive approval from the FDA and CDC, the monovalent boosters may no longer be authorized for the age group, according to the CDC's planning guide.

☆ U.S. delivers over 25 mln COVID boosters; Moderna's shot in limited supply
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A nurse fills up syringes with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines for residents who are over 50 years old and immunocompromised and are eligible to receive their second booster shots in Waterford, Michigan, U.S., April 8, 2022. Both CVS and Walgreens said they are working with the government to acquire more Moderna doses and have not seen any supply issues for the Pfizer/BioNTech booster. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterIn August, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized Pfizer and Moderna's updated booster shots that target the dominant BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants, as the country prepares for a broad fall revaccination campaign. It said it expects to ship the 70 million doses by the end of the year, as promised in its contract. The U.S. has ordered more than 170 million updated vaccine booster shots for this fall when all individuals aged 12 and over who have already received the initial doses of the vaccine are being encouraged to receive a booster shot.

☆ 1 in 3 workers fear they'll catch Covid by returning to the office—here's how to keep yourself healthy
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A recent Gallup poll found that one in three U.S. workers are "very" or "moderately" concerned about Covid exposure at work. Stay up-to-date on your Covid vaccinesStaying up-to-date on your vaccines is the best way to protect yourself from Covid. That means completing your primary series and receiving the booster shots you're eligible for. You'll need to be at least two months out from your last dose of any Covid shot, the CDC says. Have completed your primary series, but are immunocompromisedHave completed your primary series and are in an area with a substantial or high level spread of Covid.

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