WASHINGTON (NEWSnet/AP) — U.S. regulators on Tuesday cleared another booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for older Americans and people with weak immune systems.

The Food and Drug Administration also took steps to make coronavirus vaccinations simpler for everyone, saying that anyone getting a Pfizer or Moderna dose — whether it's a booster or their first-ever vaccination — will get the newest formula, not the original shots.

The FDA said those 65 or older can opt to roll up their sleeves again for another booster as long as it's been at least four months since their first dose of the so-called bivalent vaccine that targets omicron strains.

And most people who are immune-compromised also can choose that extra spring booster at least two months after their first, with additional doses in the future at the discretion of their physician, the agency said.

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signs off, those spring boosters could begin within days. The CDC's advisers are set to meet Wednesday.

“COVID-19 remains a very real risk for many people,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said.

Here are some things to know:

One Formula For Pfizer and Moderna Shots

 

COVID-19 vaccines have saved millions of lives but protection wanes over time and as new, more contagious variants have popped up. So last fall, Pfizer and Moderna rolled out updated boosters, and the FDA said that updated formula will be used for anyone getting a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

For unvaccinated adults, that means one combo shot would replace having to get several doses of the original vaccine first.

Who Needs a Booster?

 

Anyone who's gotten their original vaccinations but hasn't had an updated booster yet can still get one. This includes most American adults.

“Those individuals certainly could go out and get a bivalent booster now to improve their protection,” Marks said.

Some People Are at Higher Risk

 

For many Americans, COVID-19 has become less of a health fear and more of an inconvenience, and masking, routine testing and other precautions have largely fallen by the wayside.

But at least 250 people in the U.S. a day still die from COVID-19, and some high-risk Americans who last got a dose in the fall have wondered when they could get another.

Letting seniors and the immune-compromised get an extra booster dose puts the U.S. in line with Britain and Canada, which also are offering certain vulnerable populations a spring shot.

Will Younger, Healthier People Get a Fall Dose?

 

The FDA meet in June to consider if the vaccine recipe needs more adjusting to better match the latest coronavirus strains — just like it adjusts flu vaccines every year. Part of that discussion will be whether younger, healthier people also need a booster.

Whether the recipe gets adjusted again or not, Tuesday's move “is essentially preparing to have a simpler, more straightforward way of going about vaccinating people," Marks said. “It’s essentially a single dose of the appropriately strained vaccine as we move into the fall and winter months.”

Tweaks to Child Vaccinations

 

Millions of U.S. children still haven't gotten their initial COVID-19 vaccinations but Tuesday's step means they, too, can get the most updated version of the shots. The number of doses will depend on whether they previously received Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccinations.

Update on the Novavax Vaccine

 

Novavax makes a more traditional type of COVID-19 vaccine, and its original formula remains available for people who don't want the Pfizer or Moderna option. Novavax said Tuesday it is getting ready in case FDA urges a fall update, by manufacturing several additional formulas.

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