The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday reported that US health regulators could approve a third coronavirus shot for adults starting at least six months after full vaccination, instead of the previously announced eight-month gap.
According to the report, the approval of boosters for three Covid-19 shots being administered in the US manufactured by Pfizer and partner BioNTech, Moderna Inc and Johnson & Johnson is expected to come in mid-September.
The application process has already been started by Pfizer and BioNTech for the approval of its booster shot in people 16 and older, saying it branches a more than threefold increase in antibodies against the coronavirus.
US regulators granted full approval to Pfizer’s two-dose vaccine earlier this week. On Wednesday Moderna said that it has completed the real-time review needed for full approval for its jab in people 18 and above.
Meanwhile, the CDC said the government’s plan to administer booster shots depends on pending action from the Food and Drug Administration and recommendation to it from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
However, any such improvement would be under the preview of the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention said Jen Psaki the White house spokesperson in her daily briefing.
The FDA, however, repeated its statement from last week that said the government was gearing up to roll out the third shot from mid-September to Americans who had their initial course of two-dose vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer over eight months ago. The rollout would start if the FDA and the CDC decide that boosters are needed, officials had said.