FDA Admits Current COVID-19 Vaccines Are Not “Well-Matched” Against BA.2 Sub-Variant of Omicron
Current COVID-19 vaccines are not “well-matched” against the BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron, the U.S. FDA said on Wednesday (April 6).
The comments were made at a meeting of the FDA’s outside experts to discuss the timing of additional COVID-19 vaccine boosters and people eligible for extra shots.
Fourth COVID-19 Shots Recommended Only for Those Age 80 and Older in EU
European public-health authorities said a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine should be kept to adults age 80 and older for now, saying there’s no clear evidence to support an immediate booster shot for younger people.
The agencies didn’t rule out a fourth dose in the future for healthy people ages 60 to 79 and will keep monitoring the pandemic for signs that policy should change. There’s no sign that COVID-19 vaccine protection against severe illness has dropped substantially in that age group in the European Union, officials said.
“As re-vaccination campaigns could start in the autumn, authorities will consider the best timing for additional doses, possibly taking advantage of updated vaccines,” the European Medicines Agency and European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said in an e-mailed statement on Wednesday (April 6).
