Covid Vaccine Race

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky's, MD, endorsement Thursday evening came after 2 days of deliberation from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) where the group recommended the Moderna and Janssen COVID-19 vaccine “booster” doses.

The actions taken by the FDA set differing availability of the 3 emergency-authorized vaccines.

The CDC found 2 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech reduced COVID-19 severe outcomes and hospitalization by 93% in adolescents 12-18 years old.

The White House said it has secured enough of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine supply to offer vaccinations for everyone in this age group.

The decision comes after supporting data from a "mix and match" trial last week, and may align with emergency authorizations for the Moderna and Janssen booster doses.

The VRBPAC committee unanimously voted in favor of the Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine for use under EUA as a booster dose in individuals 18 years and older at least 2 months after a single dose primary vaccination.

Lower rates of COVID-19 vaccination may be due to access, not hesitancy.

The VRBPAC meeting precedes deliberation from the FDA on amending the company's emergency authorization to include booster doses for adult patients.

While receiving a booster of one’s original COVID-19 shot leads to an immune boost, this was heightened among individuals who received a different booster than their primary vaccine.

The FDA suggested that Johnson & Johnson had not conducted an appropriately thorough test to prove its vaccine requires a six-month booster.

New clinical trial is first to describe concomitant administration of any vaccine with either an adenoviral vector or mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.

In the recent TACKLE phase 3 trial, AZD7442 significantly reduced the risk of developing severe COVID-19 or death, even among high-risk populations.

The companies made the request after their recent submission of data to support the emergency use authorization (EUA) in this patient population.

Qatar has the highest mRNA vaccine coverage in the world, but their vaccinated population is experiencing significant waning in vaccine efficacy, leading to breakthrough infections.

US federal health agencies are recommending an additional shot for this diverse patient population, and here on some insights about vaccine efficacy and breakthrough infections in these groups.

This study confirmed reports from the CDC and Israel Ministry of Health that found the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine waned after 6 months.

Monica McArthur, MD, PhD, discusses why to-be-authorized COVID-19 vaccine doses for children may not be tiered for patient risk as they were for adults.

Investigators examined asymptomatic infection and the duration of viral shedding in symptomatic breakthrough infections in a phase 3 study with the AZD1222 COVID-19 vaccine.

An expert explains the science of vaccine- and infection-induced immunity, and how it informs the timeline of COVID-19 outbreaks this year.

A new study breaks down the risk prediction of death or hospitalization related to COVID-19 in adults following their vaccination.

The companies will be seeking emergency authorization for a lighter-dose mRNA vaccine for children aged 5 to <12 years old.

Data finds low risk for anaphylaxis, myocarditis, and other potential complications.

Extended findings from blinded mRNA-1273 vaccine pivotal trial include efficacy across subgroups, including elderly and with coexisting conditions.

Only about 60% of Americans have immunity, a number too low to protect the country through “herd immunity,” according to a new report.

In a departure from the independent APIC advisors, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, has decided to recommend boosters for people in high-risk occupations.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices posed a series of 4 questions related to a potential third shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in various populations.

A third dose booster vaccination given to persons 60 years of age or over in Israel was confirmed to lower their rate of COVID-19 infection compared to a 2-dose regimen.

New research shows COVID-19 mortality risk to be more nuanced than previous studies.

The federal agency will grant an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the third dose for seniors, those deemed high risk, and those with jobs that put them at risk of infection.