FDA advises vaccine manufacturers to adjust their Covid-19 vaccines to match the prevalent variant in circulation.
On Wednesday, the FDA's independent panel of advisors unanimously voted to suggest that authorities inform vaccine manufacturers to revise their COVID-19 vaccines for the fall season.
The FDA disclosed to the advisory committee that research demonstrates the presently available COVID-19 vaccines seem to offer reduced protection against the currently circulating variants. The previous year, when manufacturers revised their vaccines to match the variants, the modified vaccines offered better protection, according to the FDA.
The number of COVID-19 instances remains low. Recent reports reveal that less than 5% of those getting tested are positive. In comparison, infection rates during the peak of the pandemic reached as high as 30%. Hospitalizations have also fallen to their lowest levels since May 2020, according to the CDC's update to the FDA's vaccine advisers.
A significant number of Americans have some form of immunity against the virus, whether through vaccination or previous infection. However, this protection deteriorates over time. During fall and winter last year, COVID-19 was responsible for sending over half a million people to the hospital and causing 40,000 deaths in the US, data from the meeting disclosed.
The group i.e., unvaccinated individuals, were mostly at risk of serious illness or death, studies show. Furthermore, among the children who ended up in the hospital, around half had no underlying health conditions.
COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, including Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax, stated their new vaccines should be accessible for the fall season.
The task at hand now involves convincing people to get immunized with the latest version of the COVID-19 vaccine. Roughly 25% of adults have so far been vaccinated with the most recent form of the vaccine.
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The FDA encourages vaccine manufacturers like Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax to modify their Covid-19 vaccines to align with the prevalent variant, given that current vaccines show reduced protection against circulating variants.
If the FDA's advice is followed, individuals might need to get vaccinated with the latest version of the Covid-19 vaccine to maintain their protection against the virus.
