FDA Approval of New COVID-19 Boosters Could Come by Friday
THURSDAY, Sept. 7, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- New COVID-19 booster shots could soon pass the needed hurdles for vaccinations to begin next week.
Sources familiar with U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans say boosters could be approved as soon as Friday, NBC News reported. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet on Tuesday. CDC Director Mandy Cohen, M.D., could sign off soon after, allowing vaccinations to begin.
The boosters from Pfizer and Moderna target the XBB.1.5 omicron subvariant. That is no longer the dominant variant circulating, but those that are spreading are closely related, and health experts say this booster could still offer some protection. This time, the FDA may grant full approval for the boosters rather than emergency use authorization, according to NBC News sources. If the FDA does not approve the boosters on Friday, it could do so early next week.
While protection wanes over time, about 97 percent of adults have some level of protective immunity from past COVID-19 infections and vaccinations. These shots are expected to boost that coverage. They will, however, come at a price. For the first time, the federal government is not covering costs of the vaccines. Most people with private and public health insurance should still be able to receive them for free. Those who are uninsured may be able to get them at community health centers. Others may have to pay. The full price is expected to be $110 to $130 per dose, according to NBC News.
Whether someone can get their shots covered and when they can get them will depend on their insurance, said Jennifer Kates, director of the Global Health & HIV Policy Program at KFF, a nonprofit health policy organization. The Biden administration has announced a "bridge" program to offer uninsured people access to free boosters through 2024. Kates said that a vaccine made by Novavax, which is available through emergency use authorization, will continue to be covered.
Related Posts
Fewer Breast Cancers May Be ‘Overdiagnosed’ by Mammograms Than Thought
TUESDAY, March 1, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Screening mammograms can lead to...
‘Benign’ Adrenal Gland Tumors Might Cause Harm to Millions
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 5, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Millions of people are at increased...
Older Adults Weigh Variety of Concerns Before Elective Surgery
THURSDAY, March 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Many older adults have concerns...
AHA News: Her Childhood in India – and Parenthood – Changed This Nutrition Expert’s Eating Habits
TUESDAY, May 23, 2023 (American Heart Association News) -- These days, Saroja...