Original COVID-19 shots no longer authorized

 

The original COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, the only immunizations against the virus for a majority of people, are officially no longer authorized in the U.S. as the federal government moves toward updated, simpler vaccine guidance.

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Anyone who hasn’t received a bivalent COVID-19 booster or any coronavirus vaccination at all is now eligible to receive one dose of the updated shot.   Apart from some exceptions for at-risk groups, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is sticking with a one-shot vaccine schedule for people going forward. And plenty are still eligible.   Almost eight months after the bivalent shot was authorized, less than 20 percent of the eligible U.S. population has received an updated booster, still relying on the primary series of vaccinations against SARS-CoV-2.   Federal officials say they believe this new plan will boost vaccine coverage across the U.S., while noting that a majority of people in the country likely have coronavirus antibodies from past infections and immunizations.   Vaccination rates for subsequent COVID boosters have consistently fallen each time. And as federal regulators noted on Tuesday, an updated version of the COVID-19 vaccine matching the more recent circulating strains is expected in the fall.   Vaccine-conscious individuals who are still eligible may choose to wait until a more updated version is available, in lieu of receiving multiple doses months apart. https://thehill.com/newsletters/health-care/3957730-original-covid-19-shots-no-longer-authorized/