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There are more boosters approved, children’s photos are proving effective and more countries are opening up. Here’s what you need to know:
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Headlines
The FDA and CDC approve the Moderna and J&J boosters
Yesterday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved boosters for eligible people who received initial doses of Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines, which means tens of millions more Americans could get an extra shot today. The agency’s approval followed a similar approval from the FDA the day before. The FDA, and later the CDC, also said that people eligible for boosters could get them from a different drug manufacturer from their first vaccines. There is some evidence to suggest this all kinds the additional dose boosts immunity, and in particular that people who received the first vaccine from Johnson & Johnson had a much better immune response if they received a second dose of the mRNA vaccine. The FDA said anyone who received a Johnson & Johnson injection was eligible for a booster two months after their initial vaccination.
There are already more boosters than the first doses administered in the United States. But some medical ethicists and international organizations continue to express concern about the way the United States has prioritized the eradication of any infection within its own borders over helping other countries provide initial doses, thereby reducing serious illness and death. worldwide.
Pfizer and BioNTech provide FDA data demonstrating vaccine efficacy in children
Pfizer and BioNTech released data from the FDA today showing that their Covid-19 vaccine was found to be 90.7% effective in preventing symptomatic disease in children aged 5 to 11 years in clinical trials. Participants received one-third of the adult dose and noticed only mild side effects. There are no cases of severe disease or myocarditis or pericarditis, heart disease, which have been observed in some other age groups of vaccinated, especially young men. Earlier this week, the White House outlined a plan to distribute photos to children once they are approved, which could happen in weeks. The administration will partner with pediatricians’ offices and clinics in the community, among other health care providers, and will focus on educating parents about the photos.
Pfizer and BioNTech also applied to Health Canada for approval of their vaccine in younger children this week. When it comes to vaccinating adolescents, Canada is an example. It was the first country to approve vaccines for children aged 12 to 15 last spring, and more than 80 percent of Canadians aged 12 and over have been completely inoculated.
Countries around the world are easing restrictions on vaccinated residents and tourists
Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city, reopened on Friday after being closed for 262 days, the longest cumulative blockade for any city in the world during the pandemic. It follows in Sydney’s footsteps, where restrictions began to ease two weeks ago. From next month, fully vaccinated international travelers will no longer need quarantine when entering both cities. In neighboring New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the country’s blockade would end when 90 percent of eligible residents are vaccinated; so far, 86 percent of the population has received at least one dose. Kuwait has also announced it will lift restrictions on people who have been vaccinated. And Thailand said it would be open to visitors who received their photos.
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