Covid boosters will be updated for autumn and next winter: Chappss

Companies that carry out COVVI-19 vaccines should update the shots again to target a variant closer to the strains currently increasing, a committee of independent advisers at Food and Drug Administration recommended on Thursday.

Moderna, Pfizer / Biontech and Novavax should target the strains linked to the JN.1 variant with their vaccines for fall and winter next winter, because this strain is closer to the new variants of the circulating virus, the advisers voted after a meeting of a day.

The recommendation has taken place after companies presented data that shows that vaccines based on JN.1 strains related to high protection against the last versions of the virus, such as LP.8.1, which has become dominant in the United States

Moderna and Pfizer / BionTech ARNM vaccines target the KP.2 strain. Novavax’s shot targets a JN.1 strain.

The Committee was uncertain of which sub-variant JN.1 would be the best choice because we do not know which constraint can be dominant in autumn. The FDA will now work with companies to make a final decision, officials said.

The vote of the Advisory Committee complies with the World Health Organization recommendation For the next set of vaccines.

The decision highlights the state of evolution of the virus, which is now essentially endemic in the United States and other countries. The virus continues to produce new OMICRON subvariants Instead of evolving towards dramatically different strains which would present a greater risk.

Changes in the FDA approval process

The recommendation comes two days after the FDA announced a new approach Covid vaccines probably restrict access to plans. Although many questions remain on the new strategy, a change of strains does not seem to make a difference in the way the FDA approves the following vaccines.

The new strategy would continue the current approval of vaccines for people aged 65 and over and young people with health problems that put them at high risk of serious virus complications. These health problems include obesity, heart disease, cancer, inactivity and other risk factors. This regulatory approach is based on information on how the immune system reacts to vaccines.

But the FDA will now require vaccine manufacturers to put large costly additional studies to assess the safety and efficiency of vaccines for younger children and adults by comparing them to an injection of saline solution. These trials would examine the differences in health results, such as the development of Covid.

This is a major change compared to the current approach, which recommends and approves vaccines for almost everyone depending on the immune system studies more easily obtained.

FDA officials claim that the change has been caused by generalized immunity to the virus that people have developed due to repeated infections and vaccinations. This acquired immunity has contributed to a significant drop in serious illnesses and the death of Covid. The FDA estimates that 100 to 200 million Americans would be eligible for vaccines wearing the new approach.

Some independent experts host the change. Others, however, fear that the move would make it more difficult for many people who always want the vaccine to get it. This would include parents who wish to vaccinate very young children and those who wish to reduce their risk of light or moderate disease, long covids and the risk of spreading the virus to other people, like older parents.

FDA officials say the stages will put the United States according to the approach that other high-income countries adopt to vaccines and are necessary to restore confidence in vaccines.

Even if Covid claims always more lives than flu, most American adults have refused to be vaccinated against Covid in recent years and even fewer parents have chosen to vaccinate their children. Children tend to be much less likely to become seriously ill from the cocovast, but the disease can always be serious for them, especially very young children.