FDA May Greenlight COVID-19 Booster Soon As Cases Trend Upward

ACROSS AMERICA — Moderna’s new COVID-19 booster, which the pharmaceutical company says works against a potentially concerning new virus strain, could be approved as soon as Friday by federal regulators.

COVID-19 hospitalizations nationwide increased almost 16 percent in the week ending Aug. 26, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deaths were up by almost 18 percent.

The XBB.1.5 strain is no longer dominant, but the new booster should protect against other subvarients that are currently circulating, according to NBC News, the first to report on the expected action by the Food and Drug Administration. Moderna and Pfizer have both indicated their boosters appear to provide protection against the BA.2.86 omicron subvariant, which hasn’t yet become dominant.

Approval may not come Friday. A CDC advisory group will issue its own recommendations, action that could come at a scheduled meeting Tuesday. The shots could be available as early as Wednesday, though the exact timeline is not clear.

For the first time, the government won’t pay for the booster, as it has for others since vaccines became available in 2021. Modern and Pfizer have said they plan to offer the shots for about $110 to $130.

It’s not clear what groups will be encouraged to get the booster, but the CDC recommends that everyone get an updated vaccine in addition to their 2021 shots, and that people age 65 and older get a second booster.

About 97 percent of Americans have some level of vaccine protection, though health experts warn immunity fades over time. The trend toward more hospitalizations and deaths began this summer and is expected to continue into the fall and winter months as people spend more time indoors.