Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CDC Advising Some To Wait 8 Weeks Between Doses Of MRNA Vaccines
AP: CDC: Some People Should Wait Longer For 2nd COVID Shot
Some people getting Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines should consider waiting up to eight weeks between the first and second doses, instead of the three or four weeks previously recommended, U.S. health officials said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday quietly changed its advice on spacing the shots. CDC officials said they were reacting to research showing that the longer interval can provide more enduring protection against the coronavirus. Research suggests that 12- to 64-year-olds — especially males ages 12 to 39 — can benefit from the longer spacing, the CDC said. (Stobbe, 2/23)
The Hill: CDC Updates Guidance For Intervals Between COVID-19 Vaccine Doses
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday issued new COVID-19 mRNA vaccine guidance, expanding the recommended time between the initial two vaccine doses to eight weeks for some people over the age of 12, particularly young men. The prior recommended interval between initial doses was three weeks for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and four weeks for the Moderna vaccine. This timeline is still recommended by the CDC for individuals who are immunocompromised, over 65 years old or in need of rapid protection against the coronavirus. (Choi, 2/23)
The New York Times: The C.D.C. Advises Some People Wait Longer Between The First And Second Dose Of The Pfizer Or Moderna Vaccines
The change comes in light of research showing the longer interval between doses can increase vaccine effectiveness and reduce the risk of a serious but uncommon side effect called myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart. The overall incidence of post-vaccine myocarditis is low. A study conducted in Israel estimated that nearly 11 of every 100,000 males between 16 and 29 developed myocarditis. Earlier this month, an independent panel of scientific advisers to the C.D.C. reviewed research on myocarditis that supported an extended interval between doses. Research has shown that adolescent boys and young adult men have an increased risk of developing these heart problems after receiving their second dose of a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine. (Imbler, 2/23)
In news on the overall vaccination effort —
AP: US Vaccination Drive Is Bottoming Out As Omicron Subsides
The vaccination drive in the U.S. is grinding to a halt, and demand has all but collapsed in places like this deeply conservative manufacturing town where many weren’t interested in the shots to begin with. The average number of Americans getting their first shot is down to about 90,000 a day, the lowest point since the first few days of the U.S. vaccination campaign, in December 2020. And hopes of any substantial improvement in the immediate future have largely evaporated. (Reeves and Stobbe, 2/23)
