OAN’s James Meyers
12:30 PM – Monday, September 11, 2023
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved of updated COVID-19 boosters from Pfizer and Moderna on Monday.
The new shots, which are said to target the XBB.1.5 subvariant, are expected to be available later this week once the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) signs off.
“Vaccination remains critical to public health and continued protection against serious consequences of Covid-19, including hospitalization and death,” Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics EValuation and Research, said in a statement.
“The public can be assured that these updated vaccines have met the agency’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality. We very much encourage those who are eligible to consider getting vaccinated,” the statement continued.
According to the FDA, anyone ages 5 or older is eligible to receive the updated booster shot from either Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech.
However, an independent advisory panel will meet on September 12th to provide analysis on who should be able to receive the new booster.
The biotech company Novavax, which makes its own COVID-19 vaccines, said that it is still awaiting approval from the FDA for its new booster shot.
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