BREAKING: Moderna Receives FDA Green Light for COVID-19 Booster Targeting Omicron Variant
- Moderna’s COVID-19 booster vaccine tailored for Omicron has received FDA emergency use approval for adults ages 18 and older
- Regulators have set a goal of shelling Americans out by September before a possible fall wave of the virus
Moderna has received emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster shot, the company said Wednesday.
The jab is the first reformulated shot to receive the regulatory green light in the United States. It was approved for all adults over the age of 18. Pfizer, Moderna’s main competitor in rolling out COVID-19 vaccines, is expected to receive similar approval soon.
The new vaccinations increase antibody protection against the Omicron variant – which includes all of the most contagious virus strains to date. Previous versions of the shot were tailored for the original Wuhan Covid strain and the virus has since mutated to elude the protection they offered.
Regulators are aiming to release the footage by September ahead of another potential spike if the weather turns colder.
“FDA approval of our updated bivalent booster, mRNA-1273.222, provides Americans with access to broader protection against Omicron variants,” Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said in a statement.
“Obtaining a booster shot specifically targeting the Omicron BA.4/.5 variant, currently the most prevalent strain of SARS-CoV-2, is an important public health action people can take to protect themselves to protect themselves, especially as we head into a season filled with indoor gatherings.’