COVID-19: FDA advisers weigh convenience of Modern COVID-19 vaccine booster

Israeli health authorities stated that Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine booster doses improve protection against severe disease in people 40 years of age and older, in presentations made to US scientists examining the need. of a booster dose of Moderna’s vaccine.

The data was reported at a meeting of external advisers to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from the United States, who are due to vote later Thursday on the need for a third dose of Moderna vaccine at least six months after the initial inoculation of two injections.

The FDA usually takes the advice of its experts, but is not required to do so.

Modern He is seeking approval for a booster shot that includes 50 micrograms of vaccine, half the strength of his regular dose but still higher than the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, which contains 30 micrograms of vaccine.

Committee member Dr. Ofer Levy said it is important to remember that USA and Israel are different populations and that the vaccine Israel used is different, but he added that since they both use a similar messenger RNA or mRNA technology, Israel’s results are relevant.

The committee will vote on whether the Moderna booster should be given six months after the second dose to people over 65, as well as those at high risk of suffering. COVID-19 people aged 18 to 64 who are at risk of frequent exposure to coronavirus infections from their jobs.

If the FDA approves the Moderna booster, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will issue specific recommendations on who should get the vaccines.

“What we are seeing is a break in the epidemic curve in Israel,” said Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, director of public health services at the Ministry of Health of Israel. Israel.

He said the booster vaccination program, which now includes 50% of the population across all age groups, is starting to cause infections to decline even among unvaccinated populations in Israel.

Israel, which has been rigorously monitoring vaccines in its population, said in a slide presentation that giving a booster dose led to increased protection against confirmed infection in those over 16 years of age.