The future of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S.

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An FDA Committee Voted to Simplify the COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy By Alice Park Senior Health Correspondent At an all-day meeting yesterday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) expert committee on vaccines voted to make all COVID-19 vaccines—whether primary vaccinations or booster doses—target the same viral strains. Currently, the approved mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech are made with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that first emerged in 2019, while the booster dose, authorized by the FDA in September, contains a mix of that initial virus and the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron strains. By harmonizing the shots, the committee hopes to improve vaccination rates overall—but especially for the booster, which hasn’t been widely embraced by the public. The decision should also simplify the currently confusing schedule of doses and vaccines, which vary depending on a person’s age. Here are the other highlights from the meeting: The experts’ next task is to discuss and recommend how often people should be immunized for COVID-19. The FDA proposed a yearly shot similar to the flu-shot schedule for most people, and more frequent vaccinations for high-risk groups such as older people and those with weakened immune systems. The FDA also has to outline a process for selecting which virus strain should be included in the shot, however frequently it’s given. The agency suggested selecting the strain in June, which would give vaccine makers enough time to develop, test, and get their vaccines approved in time to distribute in September. More details on revising the COVID-19 immunizations will be hashed out in another meeting the committee will hold in June. READ MORE   Share the story

What else to read FDA Moves to Ease Rules for Blood Donations from Gay Men By Matthew Perrone/AP The U.S. is moving to further ease restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men and other groups that face higher risks of HIV. Read More » Evusheld Loses U.S. Authorization Since It’s Not Effective Against New Variants By Madison Muller/Bloomberg Regulators rescinded authorization for AstraZeneca's COVID-19 antibody drug, Evusheld, since it doesn't work well against current strains. Read More » Are Pistachios Healthy? Here's What Experts Say By Cassie Shortsleeve  They're high in fat—but there's more to the story. (Originally published in 2018.) Read More » How to Have the Most Fun in Your Free Time, According to Science By Jamie Ducharme Scheduling leisure activities may help get them done, but could make you enjoy them less. (Originally published in 2018.) Read More » Most Americans Aren't Getting Enough Exercise, Study Finds By Tanaz Meghjani/Bloomberg Less than a third of U.S. adults meet suggested benchmarks for aerobic and muscle-building activities set out by health officials. Read More »

ONE LAST STORY Rethinking what causes depression How many times have you read that depression is due to a “chemical imbalance”—specifically, low levels of serotonin—in the brain? That explanation is everywhere, but it may not be wholly accurate. As Quanta magazine explores in a new story, depression may be more complicated and multifaceted than we’ve long believed. Read More »

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