Moderna Asks FDA To Authorize 4th Covid Vaccine Dose For All Adults

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Topline

Moderna asked the Food and Drug Administration to sign off on a second booster dose of its coronavirus vaccine for all U.S. adults late Thursday, two days after Pfizer asked federal regulators to authorize an extra booster shot for people ages 65 and older.

Vocational nurse Christina Garibay displays a syringe with Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine … [+] in Los Angeles, California on August 22, 2021.

AFP via Getty Images

Key Facts

Moderna proposed authorizing a second booster shot for everybody ages 18 or older, a far more sweeping request than Pfizer’s, but the company suggested the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may decide to recommend it just for older people and other higher-risk groups.

The company said its application to the FDA includes data from the United States and Israel collected after the coronavirus’ omicron variant took root.

Big Number

47.8%. That’s the percentage of fully vaccinated U.S. adults who have received one booster shot, according to the CDC. By comparison, 75.3% of total adults are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus.

Key Background

The push for a second booster shot comes amid concerns that coronavirus vaccines could wane in effectiveness over time, especially as new variants emerge. Israeli health officials recommended four Moderna or Pfizer shots—two initial doses and two boosters—for adults in January, citing early data that suggested a fourth dose could boost protection against Covid-19, though other studies have found it provides limited protection against the omicron variant. Expert opinions are mixed: Some doctors and medical agencies think repeatedly offering boosters of the same vaccine formula could offer diminishing returns.

Surprising Fact

In January, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R) asked the CDC to approve a second booster shot for residents ages 50 and over and people at higher risk of Covid-19.