U.S. expected to recommend vaccine booster shots

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A pharmacy technician loads a syringe with Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine. Associated Press/Photo by Robert F. Bukaty

U.S. expected to recommend vaccine booster shots

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will propose booster shots for Americans eight months after receiving their first dose, according to sources familiar with the matter. U.S. health officials already recommended additional Pfizer and Moderna shots for people with weakened immune systems.

How will the booster help? Pfizer and BioNTech on Monday said their booster dose delivered “significantly higher neutralizing antibodies” against the original COVID-19 strain, as well as the beta and delta variants, in a phase one trial. The companies submitted their trial data to the FDA as they seek approval. The first Americans to receive the doses would likely be health workers and the elderly, who received the first COVID-19 vaccines in December.

Dig deeper: Read Leigh Jones's earlier Sift about the possible COVID-19 booster shots.

Onize Ohikere

Onize is WORLD’s Africa reporter and deputy global desk chief. She is a World Journalism Institute graduate and earned a journalism degree from Minnesota State University–Moorhead. Onize resides in Abuja, Nigeria.

@onize_ohiks