A committee of experts voted unanimously to recommend that the Food and Drug Administration authorize COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech for children as young as 6-months-old.
The variants — BA.2.12 and BA.2.12.1 — have been detected in New York and other states as well as 5 other countries. One has a mutation that seems to give it an edge in evading the immune system.
My 6-year-old has been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 at least four times and never tested positive. Many people fall into that category. Researchers have theories about why they've been able to ward it off.
The consensus has been that Pfizer and Moderna are most protective. But a study looking at 5 vaccines — including Russia's Sputnik V and two Chinese types — offers an unexpected finding.
Cuba has one of the world's highest COVID vaccination rates, with more than 85% of the nation fully immunized and kids as young as 2 getting inoculated. And it's done so using homegrown vaccines.
Though people who are vaccinated and boosted appear to be better protected against omicron, the highly contagious variant has still led to breakthrough cases and a surge in infections worldwide.
Hit hard by the pandemic, the Philippines has vaccination rates far lower than neighbors like Vietnam and Cambodia. Here's how the country is trying to up its numbers.
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky gave the green light to boosters just hours after a panel of vaccine advisors voted unanimously to recommend boosters for anyone 18 and older.
The companies studied a 10 microgram vaccine dose in children 5 to 11, a third of the dose used for adults, to minimize side effects and because it still prompts a strong immune response.
The Food and Drug Administration also gave an OK to boosters that differ from the vaccine originally used to immunize people against COVID-19. A mix-and-match approach could ease the booster rollout.
Johnson & Johnson has asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize a booster for people 18 and older six months after initial immunization, with an option to vaccinate after two months.
The Food and Drug Administration released briefing documents Tuesday on booster shots for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccines ahead of a two-day advisory meeting that starts Thursday.
President Biden gives his first address to the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday. He may find some skepticism for his pitch to work together on COVID-19 and climate after some recent decisions.
