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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized on Wednesday an updated formula of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer and rival Moderna, which target today’s most common omicron strain.
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As the Food and Drug Administration weighs approval of COVID-19 vaccinations for children under age 5, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo is opposed to the potential change.
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The "bivalent" vaccine — meaning it targets two different antigens — is Moderna's leading candidate to have an effective booster ready for fall of 2022, the company said.
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The company says a low-dose version of its vaccine triggers an immune response in children ages 6 months to less than 6 years equivalent to what has protected older children and adults.
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Health officials argue the protection of the COVID vaccine booster wanes over time and say some people need a second booster. But other infectious disease experts say three shots are enough for now.
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No deaths were reported in tests, and there were no signs of myocarditis, or heart inflammation, as a side effect.
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If approved, this would be the second booster shot Moderna has issued for people ages 18 and up.
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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.
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Some countries are moving ahead with plans to offer a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine. But studies are raising questions about the potential advantages of this extra booster.
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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.
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Now, both the Pfizer and the Moderna booster shots can be given five months after the second dose of vaccine — down from six months.
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Moderna says the FDA is looking into reports of a rare side effect — myocarditis, or the inflammation of the heart muscle — in those who've gotten the shot.