FDA to consider second Moderna booster

The drugmaker Moderna officially asked the Food and Drug Administration on Thursday to approve a fourth dose of its COVID-19 vaccine, days after Pfizer did the same. But while Pfizer only requested the second booster for those over 65, Moderna requested authorization for all adults. In a news release, Moderna said that gives the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention flexibility to determine who should receive more shots.

Are extra boosters necessary? Both Moderna and Pfizer cited a study from Israel of 700 adults that found coronavirus antibodies increased seven- to eightfold about three weeks after a second booster. Denmark and Chile are administering additional boosters to the elderly and the immunocompromised. But on Tuesday, the White House said it does not have enough COVID-19 funding left to purchase and distribute fourth doses without more money from Congress. Several health experts have said they are not convinced extra boosters are immediately necessary. According to the CDC, 44 percent of fully vaccinated people in the United States have received a booster.

Dig deeper: Read a joint report from WORLD’s international correspondents on how different countries have responded to the pandemic.