Washington: The Food and Drug Administration authorised Moderna’s and Pfizer’s Covid booster shots for all US adults — two months later than the Biden administration had wanted to begin giving the extra doses — as growing data shows the efficacy of vaccines wanes over time.
Pfizer and Moderna announced the Food and Drug Administration’s decision after at least 10 states already had started offering boosters to all adults. The latest action simplifies what until now has been a confusing list of who’s eligible by allowing anyone 18 or older to choose either company’s booster six months after their last dose — regardless of which vaccine they had first.
“This emergency use authorization comes at a critical time as we enter the winter months and face increasing COVID-19 case counts and hospitalizations across the country,” Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in a statement.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still has to authorize distribution of the booster doses before people can start receiving the shots, which could start this weekend.
The CDC’s independent panel of vaccine experts is scheduled to meet Friday to review the new data and is expected to quickly approve the third doses. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky on Wednesday said the public health agency would “act swiftly” after the FDA OKs the shots.
