(Katie McCallum/ Houston Medicine) — As we’ve learned over the last year, COVID-19 variants are to be expected.
Thankfully, the mRNA technology powering our COVID-19 vaccines provides us with a way to respond when variants not only arise but predominate, as is the case with the highly infectious omicron variant.
Evidence of this are the updated Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine boosters targeting the omicron variant. They were authorized for use in teens and adults by the FDA and CDC in late August. The agencies also recently expanded this authorization to include children five years of age and older.
“The BA.5 omicron strain now makes up the vast majority of COVID-19 cases across the U.S.,” says Dr. H. Dirk Sostman, chief academic officer of Houston Methodist. “The updated vaccines are specifically designed to increase immunity to this variant, reducing symptom severity and the chance of severe disease.”
They come at the perfect time, as some experts are predicting that another wave of COVID-19 could hit hard this upcoming fall and winter. (…)