FDA expands Pfizer COVID booster, opens extra dose to age 16

12/10/2021

Washington, Dec. 10: The US is expanding COVID-19 boosters, ruling that 16- and 17-year-olds can get a third dose of Pfizer’s vaccine.

The US and many other nations already were urging adults to get booster shots to pump up immunity that can wane months after vaccination, calls that intensified with the discovery of the worrisome new omicron variant.

On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration gave emergency authorisation for 16- and 17-year-olds to get a third dose of the vaccine made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech — if it’s been six months since their last shot.

There’s one more step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must formally recommend the boosters for this age group and a decision is expected soon.

The Pfizer vaccine is the only option in the US for anyone younger than 18, either for initial vaccination or for use as a booster. It’s not yet clear if or when teens younger than 16 might need a third Pfizer dose.

Vaccinations for children as young as 5 just began last month, using special low-dose Pfizer shots. By this week, about 5 million 5- to 11-year-olds had gotten a first dose.

The extra-contagious delta varant is causing nearly all COVID-19 infections in the US, and in much of the world. It’s not yet clear how vaccines will hold up against the new and markedly different omicron mutant. But there’s strong evidence that boosters offer a jump in protection against delta-caused infections, currently the biggest threat.

Complicating the decision to extend boosters to 16- and 17-year-olds is that the Pfizer shot — and a similar vaccine made by Moderna — have been linked to a rare side effect. Called myocarditis, it’s a type of heart inflammation seen mostly in younger men and teen boys.

Health officials in Israel, which already gives boosters to teens, have said the side effect continues to be rare with third doses.

A US study this week offered additional reassurance. Researchers from children’s hospitals around the country checked medical records and found the rare side effect usually is mild and people recover quickly, while COVID-19 itself can cause more serious heart inflammation. The research was published Monday in the journal Circulation.-Agencies

Related News

Facebook founder Zuckerberg first tech giant head to acknowledge Joe Biden as next US President

Washington, Nov. 13: Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has change into the primary head of a US tech big who has acknowledged Democrat Joe Biden as the subsequent president of the nation, a media report has mentioned. Mr. Zuckerberg informed his staff that the result of the November 3 election is now…

With historic win in Georgia, Biden's projected electoral college vote tally matches Trump’s in 2016

Washington, Nov. 14: President-elect Joe Biden has wrested Georgia and President Donald Trump has retained North Carolina, major US media outlets have projected, bringing the closely-fought and bitter 2020 presidential race to a close. Trump, who has not yet conceded the election to the projected winner, Biden, has repeatedly asserted,…

Violence erupts in Washington as Trump supporters clash with counter-protesters

Washington, Nov. 15: Violence erupted on the streets of downtown Washington after thousands of supporters of US President Donald Trump held a protest rally to back his unproven claims of massive voter fraud and electoral malpractices during the 2020 presidential elections. The “Million MAGA March”, held a week after Democrat…

Nitish Kumar takes oath as Bihar Chief Minister for seventh time in 2 decades

Patana (India), Nov. 16: Nitish Kumar was sworn-in as chief minister of Bihar for the fourth straight term in Raj Bhavan on Monday evening.  Governor Phagu Chauhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Kumar at 4:30 pm in the presence of senior BJP leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and party president…

Certain elements inside Pak military had links to al-Qaeda: Obama on raid that killed Osama

Washington, Nov. 17: Barack Obama has said that he had ruled out involving Pakistan in the raid on Osama bin Laden’s hideout because it was an “open secret” that certain elements inside Pakistan’s military, and especially its intelligence services, maintained links to the Taliban and perhaps even al-Qaeda, sometimes using…

Financially troubled startup helped power Trump campaign

San Francisko, Nov. 18: US President Donald Trump's 2020 reelection campaign was powered by a cellphone app that allowed staff to monitor the movements of his millions of supporters, and offered intimate access to their social networks. While the campaign may be winding down, the data strategy is very much alive,…

Video

Find Us on Facebook

From Social