US Close to Expanding COVID-19 Booster Use to All Adults

An influential U.S. advisory panel will discuss on Friday the possibility of expanding eligibility for the booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to all adults.

Some cities and states already allow all adults to receive the booster dose of the vaccine against the COVID-19 developed by Pfizer, but it is not yet an official federal policy. Over the past week, California, New Mexico, Arkansas, West Virginia and Colorado expanded eligibility to include all adults. New York City adopted a similar measure.

Last week, Pfizer asked US regulators to allow booster doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to be administered to anyone over the age of 18.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approve the request for Pfizer before the advisory panel meets on Friday. The final step, the official recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, could come shortly after the meeting.

The measure would significantly expand eligibility. Currently, booster doses are recommended for people who received their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna for at least six months, if they are over the age of 65 or are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 symptoms due to pre-existing health problems or because of their work or living conditions.

Boosters are also recommended for people who received the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine at least two months ago.

About 31 million Americans have already received an additional dose to their original vaccination schedule, including those with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients and organ transplant recipients who need an additional dose to be fully vaccinated.

Although the three vaccines used in USA continue to offer strong protection against severe COVID-19 symptoms and death, the effectiveness of the vaccine against a mild infection may decrease over time.

Pfizer has presented preliminary results of a booster dose study that included 10,000 people to support its argument that it is time to expand the booster campaign.

The study found that a booster dose could restore protection against symptomatic infection by 95%, even when delta variant spread was increasing. Side effects were similar to those seen with the first two doses of the drug’s vaccine.

Members of the panel, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, have debated in previous meetings whether there is sufficient evidence that booster doses are necessary for all adults.