FDA Expected to Approve New COVID-19 Booster Shots to Prevent “Tripledemic”
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is on the verge of approving new COVID-19 booster shots as part of a strategic effort to prevent a potential “tripledemic” of COVID-19, RSV, and influenza during the upcoming fall and winter seasons. According to NBC News, sources suggest that the FDA could authorize updated versions of boosters as early as this Friday, although there is a possibility that the timeline may extend into next week.
Once the FDA approves the booster shots, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its advisory committee will issue their own recommendations regarding the recipients and administration of the shots. The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to vote on these recommendations during a meeting on Tuesday. Following the meeting, the CDC director, Dr. Mandy Cohen, is expected to give her approval, enabling the immediate start of vaccinations.
While the official guidance is expected to be released soon, COVID-19 cases are surging in several locations, including Illinois. This situation raises the question of whether individuals who are not up-to-date on their vaccinations should wait for the new shots or receive the currently available vaccines.
In an interview with NBC Chicago, Dr. Allison Arwady, the former commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, advised Illinois residents to consider delaying their vaccinations. She stated that a new vaccine is anticipated to be available in late September or early October, specifically targeting the omicron subvariants that have been recently prevalent.
The Illinois Department of Public Health officials also indicated that updated guidance is forthcoming due to a change in formulation. They mentioned that the FDA has instructed drug manufacturers to develop a new monovalent COVID-19 booster that specifically targets the dominant XBB.1.5 strain of the virus. Currently, the booster shots and initial doses are formulated as “bivalent” vaccines, providing protection against both the original strain of COVID-19 and the omicron variants (BA.4 and BA.5). However, the new monovalent vaccine doses will exclusively target the XBB.1.5 strain, which is the latest dominant strain in the U.S.
As per the current guidelines, all individuals aged six months and older are encouraged to receive a COVID vaccination. Those who remain unvaccinated are advised to complete a three-dose regimen of either the Moderna or Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, with a four-week interval between each dose. Individuals who have already received their initial doses should consider receiving a bivalent booster dose. Immunocompromised individuals may even be recommended to receive a second booster dose, subject to their doctor’s advice.
For individuals seeking information about their COVID vaccination history, they can visit Vax Verify, a platform provided by the Illinois Department of Public Health, to access their records.
With the imminent approval of new COVID-19 booster shots, it is crucial for individuals to stay informed about the latest guidance and recommendations from health authorities to ensure their safety and the prevention of a potential “tripledemic.”