The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday granted an emergency authorization to Pfizer and Moderna for their updated COVID-19 shots targeting the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants.
Eligible individuals must have received a primary vaccine series in order to receive the booster. Moderna’s shot will be available to adults 18 and older, and Pfizer’s will be available to individuals 12 and older. The shots will be available to people at least two months after a primary or previous booster shot.
The new boosters will replace the current booster shots that FDA previously authorized for individuals 12 and older. But the primary series for unvaccinated people will remain the same to help build upon existing understanding of COVID-19 immunity, FDA Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Director Peter Marks told reporters.
