(WXYZ) — In today’s Health Alert, the FDA may be making changes to how it handles COVID-19 booster shots. The agency’s top official says they’re taking a closer look at whether to approve boosters for this winter.
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Updated COVID-19 shots are usually approved in the summer for the upcoming winter, so they can better target the latest variant.
As for why the FDA is considering a change, first of all, not as many people got a booster last year, especially healthcare workers. That suggests that confidence in the vaccines may be slipping, and it raises questions about whether people still see them as necessary.
Also, the new FDA Commissioner, Dr. Marty Makary, says there isn’t enough data on how well the most recent boosters are working. He wants up-to-date data to guide decisions before moving forward with approvals for this winter. So vaccine makers are being asked to run basic studies to show their updated shots still work, not just rely on older research.
But here’s the thing. The FDA has previously treated COVID vaccines like flu shots. Same basic shot, just updated each year to match the newer strains. No need for new trials, and that system has worked well for decades.
Right now, nothing’s been officially changed — but that could shift in the coming months. Also, the CDC is reviewing its guidance. They may decide to recommend boosters just for people at higher risk, instead of everyone.
That worries me because COVID can be a serious illness. It was the 10th leading cause of death for adults in 2023. And, about 3 out of 4 adults have a health condition that can make a COVID infection more dangerous.
On top of that, we may end up seeing more cases of long COVID. In 2023 alone, more than 9 million adults and kids were living with long COVID. Research shows that staying up to date on vaccines helps lower that risk.
As someone who gets the recommended COVID-19 shots, I support keeping them available for anyone who wants that added layer of protection.
Also, I‘m not against doing more research. We know the virus keeps changing. But constant studies could slow things down and leave people without timely protection.
