US Health Authorities Approve 2nd Booster Pfizer, Moderna Shots

US health authorities approved on Tuesday a second COVID-19 booster dose for two vaccines: Pfizer and Moderna, for people aged 50 and older.

The essential motive for issuing such a decision was raising the immune response of aged people against the Omicron variant risks.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration agency said the fourth dose will be dedicated to those who were vaccinated by the Pfizer Inc (PFE.N)/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are to be administered at least four months after the latest dose.

The FDA also authorized the fourth shot for younger people who aged 12 and older for the Pfizer/BioNTech shot and 18 and older for Moderna's.

Last year, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially approved booster COVID-19 vaccine doses for people who are in high risk.

The CDC board of experts recommended giving those extra shots to older people aged over 65 years old, nursing houses people, and persons who suffer from a severe disease that could be developed by the coronavirus.

However, the board rejected offering any booster shots to workers of medical professions, and health care workers.

It is worthy to mention that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) board of advisors recommended booster vaccine shots to older and high-risk persons who were vaccinated by Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines a few days ago.

The extra shot will be given six months after being fully vaccinated to increase the body’s immunity against the transmissible Delta variant, the board announced.

FDA‘s Top Vaccine Official, Dr. Peter Marks, said: “When we are saying people at high risk for occupational exposure, what we will be taking that to mean at FDA is healthcare workers, frontline workers such as teachers, and potentially essential infrastructure workers as well.”