The latest The Food and Drug Administration said Friday that it would not delay the rollout of coronavirus vaccines for the youngest children and that at least one of the two shots under review could become available as soon as June. Vaccine maker Moderna requested an emergency-use authorization for its vaccine for children 6 months to 5 years old on Thursday. Pfizer and its German partner, BioNTech, are expected to submit full data on a three-dose regimen for children 6 months to 4 years old in coming weeks. Peter Marks, a top FDA official, told The Washington Post that the agency would not delay either vaccine to wait for the other. "This whole concept of delaying is not something we will be doing," Marks said. Moderna's request for an emergency-use authorization of its pediatric vaccine is a highly anticipated step toward making shots available to the last group lacking access in the United States. The path to a vaccine for babies, toddlers and young children has been marked by delays and confusing communication. In the meantime, as many as 75 percent of children have been infected with the virus since the start of the pandemic, according to a new study. The full data supporting Moderna's application is expected to be filed by early in the second week of May, according to a senior Biden administration official. The FDA requires full data before making a decision. Coronavirus patients who have relapsed after taking Paxlovid are puzzled — and concerned. The five-day regimen of antiviral pills aims to keep people from becoming seriously ill. But some patients, such as Gregg Crumley, 71, have experienced resurgent symptoms near the end of their treatment. Infectious-disease experts agree that this phenomenon appears to be real but rare and that more data is needed to understand what is going on. Paxlovid, made by the drug giant Pfizer, remains a useful drug, even though it has sparked a new mystery. Other important news More than 340 million people in China have been placed under some form of lockdown to contain a coronavirus outbreak, even as Western countries with higher case counts relax their restrictions. The lockdowns in Shanghai, a major hub for America's semiconductor and electronics supply chains, could mean months of delays and higher costs for automakers and retailers. The White House Correspondents' Association dinner has returned, complete with President Biden, comedian Trevor Noah, hundreds of journalists, an open bar — and, this year, vaccination requirements. |
Your questions, answered "Research has found that people who are vaccinated during pregnancy can pass antibodies to babies, similar to what happens with TDAP (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) shots, which are administered toward the end of pregnancy. With this in mind, will pregnant people be able to get a fourth shot /second booster?" Generally, pregnant people are not eligible for a second booster. A spokesman for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the agency is still evaluating data to inform guidance on when additional doses for other populations, including pregnant people, may be needed. There are some exceptions. If a person is pregnant and immunocompromised or previously received a series of Johnson and Johnson shots, they do qualify for a second booster, the CDC spokesman said. Pregnant people have often been omitted from research, including clinical trials on vaccine safety and efficacy. Ruth Faden, founder of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, pointed out that including pregnant women is a matter of fairness. "Pregnant women are themselves at increased risk of severe disease," Faden said. "Also, there is a prospect of benefit to their newborns, for whom no vaccine is available." |
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