The manufacturers of the three Covid-19 vaccines available in the U.S. — Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Novavax — have already begun preparing updated boosters that target the strain, called XBB.1.5. They’ll work on preparing their final submissions including updated safety data and data comparing immune responses from these boosters to previous Covid immunizations.
In the advisory committee meeting, Peter Marks, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research and the agency’s top vaccine regulator, said he hoped the next booster rollout could begin in September. He also said that if that can happen, the rollout will coincide with the availability of the newest flu vaccine — leading to more booster uptake among the public. Only 17 percent of eligible Americans have received a bivalent booster, which was most recently recommended by federal health agencies.
What’s next: Marks said the FDA will work closely with manufacturers as they submit data for their next boosters. He also said the agency will meet with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to discuss which populations should receive a booster shot.