In the United Kingdom, however, health officials frequently delay the second vaccine dose by up to 12 weeks in order to get the first dose to more people.Įarlier in April, Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization, an external advisory board, advised that second doses could be delayed up to 16 weeks.Ī recent study, published in PLOS Biology, suggests stretching out the time between the first and second dose could be a solid strategy. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said the scientific data on delaying the second dose of the vaccines were too limited for him to recommend the approach in the U.S. With new, potentially more contagious SARS-CoV-2 variants emerging, health officials across the globe are discussing the option of vaccinating more people with the first dose by pushing back the date for giving the second dose of these vaccines.Īccording to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently suggested that in countries without an adequate supply of vaccines, officials could focus on getting the first dose to as many people as possible, even if that means delaying the second dose by more than the recommended 12 weeks. Both require two doses, administered 3–4 weeks apart. is currently using two COVID-19 vaccines: Moderna and Pfizer. By and large, the world’s wealthiest countries have secured more of the available supply than poorer ones. That is not the case in other countries: COVID-19 vaccines have not been distributed equally across the globe. Only two cases of myocarditis were reported in Israel among 44,000 adolescents aged 12 to 15 who received a third dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, the Israeli Health Ministry said on Wednesday.Officials with the Biden Administration believe the available supply of the COVID-19 vaccine will exceed demand in the United States by mid-May. While there is limited data on myocarditis after booster doses for ages 12 to 15, the FDA has said evidence from both the United States and Israel indicates that the risk of myocarditis in men aged 18-40 is significantly lower after booster shots than after the second vaccine dose. Some scientists have expressed concerns about the booster shots due to rare cases of heart inflammation called myocarditis that have been linked to both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna (MRNA.O) vaccines, particularly in young men. "This booster dose will provide optimized protection against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant," CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in the statement. The FDA had authorized the additional doses for the age group on Monday, but the CDC sign-off was needed before the shots can be administered. Food and Drug Administration, said that it is reasonable to extend the boosters down to 12- to 15-year-olds given the current surge in cases. After receiving a booster shot, the infection rate dropped sharply, according to the data.ĭr. "This is a tool we need to use, and help our children through this pandemic."ĭata from Israel's Health Ministry presented at the meeting suggested that vaccinated children aged 12 to 15 who were five to six months past their second dose were being infected at the same rate as unvaccinated kids by the Omicron variant of the virus. Katherine Poehling, a professor at Wake Forest School of Medicine. "COVID is overwhelming our hospitals and our children's hospitals," said panel member Dr. Infection rates are surging as many workers and school children return from holiday vacations, raising the prospect of overwhelmed health systems as well as closed businesses and schools. The CDC said in a statement it now recommended that adolescents age 12 to 17 years old should receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer/BioNTech vaccination series.ĬOVID-19 cases in the United States have hit record levels in recent days due to the fast spreading Omicron variant of the virus. The agency had previously made the shots available to those teenagers, but had stopped short of suggesting that all of them should receive the additional jab. The panel also said the CDC should strengthen its recommendation for boosters for ages 16 and 17. health agency support booster shots for those aged 12 to 15 at least five months after their second dose. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) voted 13 to 1 to recommend that the U.S. The move came after a panel of outside experts advising the CDC voted earlier to recommend booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine be made available for ages 12 to 15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Wednesday it expanded the eligibility of Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and BioNTech SE's booster doses to those 12 to 15 years old.
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