OLDER people may soon be able to get a fourth COVID booster after it was announced that Pfizer and its partner, BioNTech, plan to ask the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency authorization for a second COVID-19 booster shot for those 65 and older.
According to the Washington Post, in which this was first reported, Pfizer and BioNTech’s submission to the FDA includes “real-world data”’ from Israel, which has already allowed for older folks to receive a second booster shot.
Those close to the situation said that the move is meant to further protect older adults against the omicron variant, which biomedical experts have said is more advanced at evading the immune system than variants past.
Authorization could be granted as early as Tuesday, March 22.
Currently, the COVID-19 booster is authorized for everyone aged 12 and older per an emergency authorization basis, as previously reported in the Asian Journal.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 66% of Americans aged 65 or older who are eligible for the booster have received it. Pfizer and BioNTech didn’t indicate whether they’re seeking authorization of a second booster shot for other age groups.
Pfizer spokesperson Jerica Pitts told the Washington Post that the company was “continuing to collect and assess all available data and we’re in continuous, open dialogue with regulators and health authorities to help inform a Covid-19 vaccine strategy as the virus evolves.”
According to the Biden administration, the U.S. only has enough doses of the COVID-19 booster for immunocompromised people to receive the fourth dose.
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told the Washington Post last week that the company’s data presently shows that receiving a fourth dose “dramatically” improves protection compared to a third dose. n