As government advisors voted Tuesday to adjust booster doses to match the latest virus variants, at least some Americans may receive updated COVID-19 shots in the fall.
The Food and Drug Administration's advisors struggled to adjust doses when it was impossible to predict how the virus would evolve by fall. This is especially important since those who receive today's boosters are still protected from the worst of COVID-19.
The FDA panel ultimately voted 19-2 in favor of COVID-19 boosters containing some Omicron variant to ensure that they are ready for a fall booster campaign.
"We will be behind the eight-ball, if we wait longer," stated Dr. Mark Sawyer, University of California, San Diego.
The FDA will need to determine the exact formula, but you can expect a combination shot that provides protection against Omicron and some of its younger relatives.
Dr. Peter Marks, FDA vaccine chief, stated that "none of us can predict the next threat." However, "we might at least bring your immune system closer" to being able respond to the current virus strains.
It is not known who would receive a modified booster. They might only be recommended for those over 65 or at high risk of contracting the virus. The FDA will make a decision on the recipe changes within days. Pfizer and Moderna then need to apply for authorization to the appropriate doses. This is time for health authorities and to settle on a fall strategy.
The COVID-19 vaccines are saving millions of lives worldwide. The U.S. vaccines have strong protection against death and hospitalization, but they are less effective at blocking infection than the ones used elsewhere. The Omicron mutant responsible for the winter surge was replaced by its genetically different relatives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, half of all U.S. cases are now caused by two Omicron cousins called BA.4 and BA.5.
Moderna and Pfizer were already brewing boosters to protect the Omicron mutant. Combination shots, which scientists refer to as "bivalent" vaccines by Moderna, significantly increased the levels of antibodies that can fight this variant. This was more than just giving another dose of today’s vaccine.
Both companies discovered that the modified shots offered cross-protection against the troubling BA.4/BA.5 mutants. However, not nearly as much.
The combination approach is preferred by many scientists because it preserves the original vaccines’ proven benefits. This includes some cross-protection against mutants that may have emerged during the pandemic.
FDA faces the question of which recipe change is correct. Both companies stated that they would have enough Omicron-targeted combination shots by October, but Moderna suggested that switching to Omicron's newest relatives could delay their version for another month.
The fact that only half of Americans have received the crucial first booster is complicating matters. The CDC states that protection against hospitalization has slipped for older adults. However, a second booster recommended for those 50 years and older appears to restore it. Only 25% of people who are eligible have received the booster.
Marks stated that by changing the shots, "we hope we can convince people that they can get that booster to boost their immune response and prevent another wave."
It will be difficult to organize the logistics. It will be difficult to organize the logistics. Many Americans have not had their first vaccines, even young children who are just eligible. However, FDA advisors stressed that it is important to continue studying updated vaccine recipes for children.
Novavax, a third company, is still waiting FDA approval for a traditional COVID-19 vaccine. It will be protein-based shots. Novavax claimed Tuesday that the booster of its regular vaccine will provide a strong immune response to Omicron mutants and does not require a change in its recipe.
Recent advice from the World Health Organization stated that Omicron-tweaked shots are best as a booster because they can increase cross-protection of multiple variants.
"We don’t want the world losing confidence in vaccines that exist currently," stated Dr. Kanta Subbarao (virologist) who chairs that WHO committee.
