FDA to Approve Second COVID Booster Shot for People Over 50

According to a recent announcement by the US Food and Drug Administration, people 50 years old and older would be soon permitted to take a second COVID-19 booster dose. The agency specified boosters from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech as the doses relayed to the public after its authorization procedure.

People 50 and Up Might Get Second Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech Booster Dose

FDA to Approve Second COVID Booster Shot for People Over 50

(Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)
WHITE OAK, MD - JULY 20: A sign for the Food And Drug Administration is seen outside of the headquarters on July 20, 2020, in White Oak, Maryland.

FDA will process the approval of the booster shots any time soon and even without exchanging talks with the independent vaccines advisors of the agency, reports NPR.

FDA's announcement was driven by the increase of evidence that several shots of the booster fade, but with an additional firing, the immunity again. Amidst the spread of a more contagious COVID omicron mutation called BA.2 and concerns of another wide-scale surge of the disease, the agency's initiative could help ease and even prevent the impending curve.

Scripps Research Translational Institute director and founder Eric Topol agrees to the FDA's decision, saying that a lot of the population exceeded their next booster shots for at least four to six months already.

The lack of protection from the omicron variant and its BA.2 mutation risks many people to another batch of hospitalization and even death, the expert continued.

Despite the progressive efforts of the FDA, many groups doubt the workaround. This is because the vaccines are already doing their functions up until today. Many critics say that comprehensive evidence backing up the urgency of the booster administration and a stronger efficacy through an additional shot is not yet in place.

Kaiser Health specialist and infectious disease expert Celine Gounder explained that there is still no definitive data that would scientifically support a second booster for adults.

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Booster Shot Importance, According to Infectious Disease Experts

The data gathered from Israel presented how an additional booster dose reduces the risk of even a severe infection, hospitalization, and death for the population 60 years and up. However, Gander highlighted that the timespan of this extra protection is still undefined.

Emory University infectious disease specialist Carlos del Rio said in an NPR interview that the FDA's second booster shot approval would not be problematic, but emphasized that the efficacy is short-term and might give just a little benefit for the population over 50 years ago.

FDA and other administration officials still believe that it is necessary to spread second booster shots to the target population as soon as possible.

However, communities in the field of infectious disease research contradict the resolution, saying that the administration should be giving their focus more to convincing a large chunk of unvaccinated individuals to get their first doses and first boosters.

Yale Institute for Global Health director Saad Omer said that one concerning factor is that the country does not invest in increasing the COVID-19 vaccination and booster coverage. Omer continued that the issue does not receive enough attention from health officials and the government.

Compared to previous booster shot authorization, the FDA will make the second booster shot available for anyone who wants to get a dose instead of recommending it as supplemental protection for everyone.