LIVE COVID-19 Live Updates: US FDA Authorizes Pfizer, Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine Boosters For All Adults

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The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded emergency use authorization of the booster doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines to make the extra shots available to all adults. Previously boosters were authorized only for those 65 years and older who was vaccinated with the both the mRNA vaccines at least six months ago and for certain adults at high risk of infection or of severe disease.

Based on the results of its Phase-3 trial that included over 10,000 participants, Pfizer and BioNTech had lasted week revealed that booster shots of their vaccine were safe and had an efficacy of 95 per cent against symptomatic Covid-19 compared with the two-dose vaccine schedule. Hence they requested authorization of the boosters for all adults last week, Xinhua news agency reported.

Moderna had also requested the FDA for authorization of its 50 microgram booster dose for all adults on Wednesday, based on their study results that showed the neutralizing antibodies waned at about six months.

If the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approves the broader use of boosters, the extra shots could be available for all adults from this weekend, according to news agency reports.