The US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized retooled Covid-19 booster shots made by both Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech to target the currently dominant BA.4/BA.5 Omicron subvariants of the coronavirus.
Both vaccines also include the original version of the virus targeted by all previous Covid shots as the US prepares for another vaccination campaign in the fall.
As a single dose, Moderna’s vaccine is authorized for those aged 18 and above. Pfizer’s bivalent candidate is for those aged 12 and above.
The US government has purchased 175m doses of the booster shots in an effort to stave off the worst effects of a potential surge in new infections as schools reconvene and people spend more time indoors as the weather grows colder.
In June, the FDA asked vaccine makers to tailor shots to the two subvariants responsible for the most recent surge in infections worldwide. The BA.5 subvariant currently accounts for more than 88% of US infections.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention vaccine advisory panel is scheduled to meet on Thursday to make recommendations for use of the redesigned shots that the CDC director, Rochelle Walensky, will take into consideration before making a final decision.
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