Americans 12 and older may start getting omicron-specific COVID-19 boosters soon after Labor Day, according to a new report.
The New York Times reported late Tuesday that the Biden administration is eager to approve the new booster as soon as possible and is close to authorizing the update.
On Tuesday, Moderna Inc. MRNA, +0.92% said it has submitted an emergency use Application for experimental bivalent COVID-19 booster for these 18 and older. On Monday, Pfizer PFE, -1.82% and partner BioNTech SE BNTX, -0.71% indicates that they have completed the application process for bivalent enhancers for persons 12 years of age and older. SEE ALSO: Pfizer and BioNTech Say Data Shows COVID Vaccine More Than 70% Effective in Young Children, Only 7 Currently Rising cases in state The new footage targets not only the original strain of COVID-10, but also the BA.4 and BA.5 strains of the omicron variant. BA.5 is currently the predominant strain in the U.S. Studies of two boosters have shown that they provide better and longer-lasting protection from COVID-19 than current boosters. Federal health officials hope a quick rollout will help prevent deadly fall and winter surges. But there are concerns about whether enough people will take advantage of the new booster. According to The New York Times, while 67% of Americans are fully vaccinated — that is, they’ve had their initial shot — only 33% have received a booster dose.
