FDA Panel Unanimously Recommends Moderna COVID Booster Shots for At-Risk Adults + More
FDA Panel Unanimously Recommends Moderna COVID Booster Shots for At-Risk Adults
A key Food and Drug Administration advisory committee unanimously recommended Thursday giving booster shots of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine to people age 65 and older and other vulnerable Americans, a crucial step before the U.S. can start administering third shots to some of the more than 69 million people who originally received that vaccine.
The nonbinding decision by the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee would bring guidelines for Moderna in line with third shots of Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine. Those shots were authorized less than a month ago to a wide array of Americans, including the elderly, adults with underlying medical conditions and those who work or live in high-risk settings like health and grocery workers.
Video: Fauci Claims No ‘True Basis’ in Concerns Over Long-Term COVID Vax Side Effects
In another display of ignorance on the science, Anthony Fauci declared Wednesday that there is no “true basis” for concerns over potential long-term side effects of COVID vaccines, despite there being no long-term studies to take data from.
While speaking on a virtual call in concert with CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, Fauci was asked by a caller if pilots have any ‘valid concerns’ after it was suggested that many are remaining unvaccinated to avoid potential long-term side effects that may infringe on their ability to fly.
“Pilots at American and Southwest Airlines in particular are arguing that some pilots may be reluctant to get vaccinated because of potential of career-ending side effects,” the caller stated, adding “They’re concerned that there could be long-term side effects that could cause them to then lose their medical certification and also lose their jobs and their livelihoods. So is this a valid concern?”
Gambian Women’s Voices on COVID Vaccines: ‘We Are Afraid’
The TRY Oyster Women’s Association represents more than 500 women, many of whom are reluctant to get vaccinated against COVID-19. These women fish under darkness of night without fear but are anxious about the vaccine. They say they can’t miss a day of work if it means being sidelined — even briefly — because of side effects from the jab.
“I’m not convinced to accept the vaccine. My mind did not accept it; this is why I said I will not take the vaccine.”
Worst Emergency Blood Shortage Since 2015 Caused by Pandemic: American Red Cross
The American Red Cross (ARC) recently issued a public call to action due to a plummeting national inventory of blood donations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Red Cross is now facing an emergency blood and platelet shortage. Blood donor turnout has reached the lowest levels of the year as many have delayed giving amid a return to the workplace and in-person learning, as well as a recent surge in COVID-19 cases across the country due to the Delta variant,” Jodi Sheedy, senior director of Biomedical Communications at the ARC, wrote in an email to Fox News.
A Mom Who Hasn’t Gotten Vaxxed — and Might Not Vaccinate Her Kids — Explains Herself
When I first heard about the COVID vaccine, I thought it was a little bit worrisome. I mean, it was a good thing — I’m not an anti-vaxxer. My kids take the flu shot, they have all their other vaccinations. But it was a little bit concerning to me because the research process was just so fast. And then, when it opened the doors to the kids, I was just really leery about it, because what’s it going to be like in 10 years?
I’m not saying that I won’t ever get them vaccinated. We might go next weekend. I’m just super hesitant because I wish that there was just a little more time in between the research and the distribution. I did read an article about how scientists had been researching these kinds of vaccines for a long time, which is why they produced it as quickly as they did. But when it’s your kids, it’s easy not to be logical. It’s an emotional decision.
A Drugmaker Backed by the Company That Owns Marlboro Cigarettes Plans to Launch the World’s First Plant-Based COVID Vaccine
The world’s first plant-based COVID-19 vaccine could reach Canada’s drug regulator by the end of the year.
Leading Japanese drugmaker Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma said Tuesday that Medicago, its Quebec-based subsidiary that developed the shot, would apply for Canadian approval by the end of 2021, the Financial Times reported.
Marlboro cigarette brand manufacturer Philip Morris International part-owns Medicago, according to the Financial Times.
Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Recipients May Be Better Off with a Booster of Pfizer or Moderna: FDA
People who received Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose COVID-19 vaccine may be better off getting a booster shot of Pfizer or Moderna‘s vaccine rather than a second dose, according to data reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration.
The FDA went through two studies — one from Johnson & Johnson, which has been testing the effectiveness of a second dose of their vaccine and another that looked at following the Johnson & Johnson vaccine with a booster shot of Pfizer or Moderna, which are mRNA vaccines that use a different delivery system to create antibodies that protect against COVID-19.
WHO: Tuberculosis Deaths Rise for 1st Time in Over a Decade Due to COVID
The number of deaths from tuberculosis rose last year for the first time in more than a decade, the World Health Organization said Thursday.
Why it matters: The data underscores the COVID-19 pandemic’s toll on tackling other, preventable diseases worldwide.
Driving the news: The WHO said the uptick in deaths from tuberculosis is largely driven by fewer people getting tested and treated for the disease due to the healthcare system’s focus on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
China Warns Against ‘Manipulation’ of WHO Virus Probe
China’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday warned against what it called possible “political manipulation” of a renewed probe by the World Health Organization (WHO) into the origins of the coronavirus, while saying it would support the international body’s efforts.
The WHO on Wednesday released a proposed list of 25 experts to advise it on next steps in the search for the virus’ origins after its earlier efforts were attacked for going too easy on China, where the first human cases were detected in late 2019.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said China would “continue to support and participate in global scientific tracing and firmly oppose any forms of political manipulation.”
Moderna Has Become the World’s Vaccine Boogeyman
Moderna is under fire for not doing enough to vaccinate the world, particularly low-income countries — and the Biden administration is being criticized for not doing enough to force Moderna’s hand.
Why it matters: Low-income countries are desperate for more vaccines, and experts warn that higher levels of global spread will increase the likelihood of a vaccine-resistant variant emerging.
Driving the news: A top Biden official publicly threatened Moderna with more aggressive government action if it doesn’t voluntarily provide enough vaccines to the global initiative COVAX at not-for-profit prices, which the administration has asked it to do.
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