A nurse fills up syringes with the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines for residents who are over 50 years old and immunocompromised and are eligible to receive their second booster shots in Waterford, Michigan, U.S., April 8, 2022. REUTERS/Emily Elconin/File Photo
A White House official said on Sunday that the Biden administration intends to urge all Americans to get a coronavirus booster injection this autumn in order to combat a fresh wave of illnesses.
According to the official, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting an uptick in infections and hospitalizations caused by the virus, overall levels remain low.
Moderna (MRNA.O) said on Thursday that preliminary data suggest that its improved COVID-19 vaccine is effective against the “Eris” and “Fornax” subvariants in people.
Moderna and other COVID-19 vaccine makers Novavax (NVAX.O), Pfizer (PFE.N) and German partner BioNTech SE (22UAy.DE) have created versions of their shots aimed at the XBB.1.5 subvariant.
Pending approval from health regulators in the United States and Europe, the companies expect the updated shots to be available in the coming weeks for the autumn vaccination season.
“We will be encouraging all Americans to get those boosters in addition to flu shots and RSV shots,” the official said, referring to the Respiratory Syncytial Virus.
