Moderna has asked the Food and Drug Administration to authorize the fourth shot of its COVID-19 vaccine for the general public, fearing another uptick of coronavirus cases as new variants emerge.
Driving the news: Moderna said in a press release that it submitted the request to the FDA to approve the vaccine for emergency use.
- “This submission is based in part on recently published data generated in the United States and Israel following the emergence of Omicron,” Moderna said.
Why it matters: Moderna’s request is another sign that a fourth vaccine shot will be available soon for Americans.
Details: Moderna requested the vaccine’s approval for all adults, a slightly different ask compared to the vaccine developer Pfizer, which asked for approval of a fourth shot for the elderly and immunocompromised, per The New York Times.
What to watch: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as local health officials, could help determine the use of the second booster shot if the FDA authorizes its use, The New York Times reports.
The bigger picture: Experts have been debating whether or not people need a fourth COVID-19 vaccine shot.
- Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told CBS’ “Face the Nation” over the weekend that the fourth shot is “necessary” to fight off future variants and a new wave of cases.
- A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that the fourth vaccine doesn’t do a great job at stopping infection, but it can stop COVID-19 symptoms.