Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
FDA To Soon Roll Out Booster Plan For Immunocompromised People
The Wall Street Journal: FDA Covid-19 Vaccine Booster Plan Could Be Ready Within Weeks
The Food and Drug Administration expects to have a strategy on Covid-19 vaccine boosters by early September that would lay out when and which vaccinated individuals should get the follow-up shots, according to people familiar with discussions within the agency. The Biden administration is pushing for the swift release of a booster strategy because some populations—people age 65 or older and people who are immunocompromised, as well as those who got the shots in December or January shortly after they were rolled out—could need boosters as soon as this month, two of the people said. (Armour and Hopkins, 8/5)
ABC News: FDA Expected To Recommend Boosters For Immunocompromised Americans Within Weeks: Source
Many immunocompromised Americans have not had high immune responses to the vaccines, leaving them vulnerable to the virus even after getting a shot. Response has been low particularly in transplant recipients, cancer patients or people on medications that suppress their immune response. Last month, experts on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's advisory panel were largely supportive of giving those people a third dose to boost their immunity and called on the FDA to move on the issue. (Haslett, Strauss, and Pezenik, 8/5)
Reuters: U.S. Plans To Give Extra COVID-19 Shots To At-Risk Americans, Fauci Says
The United States is working to give additional COVID-19 booster shots to Americans with compromised immune systems as quickly as possible, as cases of the novel coronavirus continue to rise, top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said Thursday. The United States is joining Germany, France and Israel in giving booster shots, ignoring a plea by the World Health Organisation to hold off until more people around the world can get their first shot. ... "It is extremely important for us to move to get those individuals their boosters and we are now working on that," Fauci said on a press call, adding that immunocompromised people may not be sufficiently protected by their existing COVID-19 vaccinations. (Hunnicutt and O'Donnell, 8/5)
NBC News: Mississippi Offering Covid Vaccine Booster Doses For Immunocompromised People
Mississippi, with one of the highest new Covid-19 case rates and lowest rates of vaccinated people in the U.S., is encouraging booster doses for some high-risk groups. The Mississippi State Department of Health is now advising that doctors consider a booster or third dose of a Covid-19 vaccine for people with weakened immune systems, including organ transplant patients and people taking immunosuppressive medications. (Syal, 8/5)
Also —
The Wall Street Journal: Moderna Recommends Covid-19 Vaccine Booster To Protect Against New Variants
Moderna Inc. said Thursday it expects people who received its two-dose Covid-19 vaccine to need a booster shot in the fall to keep strong protection against newer variants of the coronavirus. The company said its vaccine remains 90% effective against preventing Covid-19 disease for at least six months, but said it sees a decline in antibody levels after six months, especially against newer strains of the coronavirus including the Delta variant. In a Phase 2 study, a third shot of the original formulation showed robust antibody responses against Covid-19 variants of concern, Moderna said. (Schwartz and Grossman, 8/5)
