Single Dose of Omicron-Targeting Vaccines to Become Main Covid-19 Shot in U.S.
Americans seeking messenger RNA vaccines for Covid-19 for the first time will get one, updated shot targeting both the Omicron variant and the original strain of the virus under new moves rolled out Tuesday by federal health officials.
The Food and Drug Administration also authorized a second booster of the updated shots for people at high risk of Covid-19, specifically people 65 years and older or people who have weak immune systems.
The agency’s actions mark the latest tweaks to Covid-19 vaccines, and could be followed up by further efforts to simplify the complicated vaccination regimen, perhaps by enshrining plans for a once-a-year shot for most people. “The agency believes that this approach will help encourage future vaccination," said Dr.
Peter Marks, head of the FDA’s division that oversees vaccines. “Covid-19 continues to be a very real risk for many people, and we encourage individuals to consider staying current with vaccination." The agency said a second booster is authorized for people 65 and older whose last booster was more than four months prior, and for immunocompromised people whose last shot was more than two months prior, with additional doses as recommended by their doctors.
United States
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Cases: 46 252 513
Deaths: 750 423
Recovered: 0
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India
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Cases: 34 321 025
Deaths: 459 652
Recovered: 0
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Brazil
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Cases: 21 835 785
Deaths: 608 235
Recovered: 0
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United Kingdom
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Cases: 9 215 683
Deaths: 141 607
Recovered: 0
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Russia
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Cases: 8 494 589
Deaths: 237 619
Recovered: 0
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