Pfizer-BioNTech expected to seek authorization for coronavirus booster for people 18 and older

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Mon, 2021-11-08 17:00 — mike kraft

Pfizer-BioNTech expected to seek authorization for coronavirus booster for people 18 and older If regulators give the green light, as expected, the move could bolster protection for Americans at a crucial time in the pandemic. Washington Post

Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech are expected to seek authorization for their coronavirus vaccine booster shot for anyone 18 and older, a move that could increase booster rates at a critical moment in the pandemic, according to three officials familiar with the situation.

The request, which may be filed as soon as this week, is likely to win the backing of the Food and Drug Administration, said the individuals, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the issue. That would essentially fulfill the Biden administration’s booster-for-all-adults goal, announced last August amid concerns about waning vaccine protection. ...

While the surge caused by the delta variant appears to be subsiding, some health experts are concerned that infections and deaths might be plateauing at a high level. Cases still exceed 70,000 a day, and deaths from covid-19, the illness caused by the virus, total more than 1,000 daily, according to The Washington Post covid-19 tracker.

In addition, state and federal health officials are casting an anxious eye on states including Minnesota, Colorado, Arizona and Vermont, where cases have been rising. They’re also worried about increased viral spread during a busy holiday season, with large numbers of people traveling and celebrating indoors. ..

Under the government current guidelines, people are eligible for Moderna and Pfizer BioNTech boosters if they are 65 and older or are at high risk of covid-19 because of underlying medical conditions or potential exposure at work or in their living situations.

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