Newly-approved COVID booster to target BA.4, BA.5 subvariants
MINNEAPOLIS – On Tuesday, the FDA approved a new booster shots for Americans, designed to reduce the risk of the now-dominant strains across the country.
Scientists hope these modified boosters stem the tide of a forecasted winter surge of COVID-19 infections.
"We do worry once schools start in the fall, once the weather gets colder and more people spend time indoors that there will be more chances for transmission of the virus," said Dr. Susan Kline with the University of Minnesota School of Medicine. "These last two years we've seen significant surges in the fall. The cases have peaked starting around November, December, January time. So the concern is that we'll see another peak, again, this year during those months so it's best to get your booster dose before that time."
According to information shared by the FDA, some people could get the new booster as soon as two months after their last shot of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Moderna's new shots are authorized for Americans as young as 18, while Pfizer's has been approved for those as young as 12.
Minnesotans had mixed reactions at the thought of getting yet another shot.
"I've gotten my booster shots every time the FDA has said that I should get them so I have no reason not to trust them to get another booster," said Jay Copland. "Ultimately, if they say that this COVID booster shot is something we get every year like a flu shot, it's something I'm going to get every year as an individual contributing to society"
"I'll take it but who knows. You hate to take it, you hate not to take it," said Lyn Robinson. "Is it a good thing? You know, probably. I think it's something we're going to live with. Is it going to make any difference, this new one? Who knows"
"I think some people get them. Some don't. It's a matter of opinion and choice. It's good that people have choice," said Renaldo Gates. "As far as the new boosters, I don't know. It's almost like a flu vaccine so if you're a person that gets vaccines a lot, then you get the vaccines."
The new formulations mark the first significant change to the COVID-19 vaccines since they first rolled out.
"I'd say it's definitely an upgrade. These new boosters will give our bodies better immune recall against these new circulating strains and so the hope is, that'll give us better protection," Kline said. "So even if you had the primary series and you got a booster last fall or you got a booster last fall and another this winter, I would still recommend getting a booster with this new vaccine with the variant strains."
Whether or not people decide to take a booster shot, Kline hopes they continue to take COVID-19 seriously.
"It's not a disease that we can just say you don't have to worry about it, that everyone had a mild version of it now. That's not true. There are still some people getting seriously ill, critically ill, on ventilators, hospitalized and some people dying still," Kline said.