A healthcare worker administers a shot of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine to a woman at a pop-up vaccination site operated by SOMOS Community Care during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., January 29, 2021. REUTERS
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will weigh the benefits of authorizing a round of boosters of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to a broader population in the fall, a top official said on Tuesday.
The agency authorized on Tuesday a second booster dose of either vaccine for older and immunocompromised people.
“It would not be surprising if there is a potential need … for an additional booster in the fall along with a more general booster campaign if that takes place, said Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
The agency did not wait for variant-specific booster data before making its decision because the needed quantities would not be available for months, he said.
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