On August 22, 2024, the FDA authorized new Covid-19 vaccines (2024-2025) “to include a monovalent (single) component that corresponds to the Omicron variant KP.2 strain of SARS-CoV-2. The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been updated with this formula to more closely target currently circulating variants and provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death. Today’s actions relate to updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines manufactured by ModernaTX Inc. and Pfizer Inc.”
Tag: Covid 19 strains and variants
FDA VRBPAC Meeting on Covid Vaccines Postponed
The May FDA VRBPAC meeting on Covid vaccines, originally scheduled for this month has been rescheduled to June 5, 2024, 8:30 AM-4:30 PM EST.
Reminder: FDA Advisory Committee to Meet in May 2024 to Discuss Updating Covid-19 Vaccine:
Just a reminder: the FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) will meet on May 16, 2024 to make recommendations on Covid-19 strain selections for the fall vaccine of 2024-2025.
CDC Update on Covid-19 Variant BA.2.86
I saw a news item headline which mentioned Covid-19 Variant. BA.2.86. The CDC website tracking respiratory variants has a definitive update as of November 27, 2023:
“What to know about BA.2.86
- The virus that causes COVID-19 is constantly changing over time. Sometimes these changes allow new variants to spread more quickly or effectively. If that occurs, the new variant may become more common relative to other variants that are circulating.
- Since CDC’s first post on BA.2.86 in August 2023, the proportion of infections caused by BA.2.86 has slowly increased. In the CDC Nowcast posted Nov. 27, 2023, BA.2.86 is projected to account for 5-15% of currently circulating variants.
- CDC projects BA.2.86 and its offshoots like JN.1 will continue to increase as a proportion of SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences.
- At this time, BA.2.86 does not appear to be driving increases in infections or hospitalizations in the United States.
- CDC contributed to and agrees with the World Health Organization’s recent risk assessment about BA.2.86 suggesting that the public health risk posed by this variant is low compared with other circulating variants, based on available limited evidence.
- Updated COVID-19 vaccines are expected to increase protection against BA.2.86, as they do for other variants.
- As mentioned in previous updates, COVID-19 tests and treatments are expected to be effective against this variant, including its offshoot JN.1.
- It is not possible at this time to know whether BA.2.86 infection produces different symptoms from other variants. In general, symptoms of COVID-19 tend to be similar across variants. The types of symptoms and how severe they are usually depend more on a person’s immunity than which variant causes the infection.
- Regardless of what variants happen, CDC will continue to track them, working closely with partners around the world to understand how they are spreading and how they respond to vaccines and treatments.”
CDC Educates About Covid-19 Variants
Sometimes I see news about Covid-19 variants. They typically sound alarming. The CDC has posted an update on Covid-19 variants that is reassuring. There will always be variants. Not all will be serious threats. According to the update:
“While new variants like BA.2.86 and JN.1 attract attention, right now, 99 percent of SARS-CoV-2 variants are part of the XBB group of the Omicron variant, which is what this year’s updated vaccines are based on. CDC is continuing to track the spread and impact of BA.2.86 and JN.1, as well as other variants as they come and go.
For as long as we have COVID-19, we’ll have new variants. Nearly all represent relatively small changes compared with previous variants. CDC and other agencies monitor for impacts of new variants on vaccines, tests, and treatments, and will alert the public quickly if anything concerning is detected. Most of the time, new variants make little to no impact.
Regardless of the variant, all SARS-CoV-2 viruses spread the same way. So it’s important to protect yourself and others by staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, improving ventilation and staying home when you’re sick.”
CDC Update on Respiratory Viruses and the Covid-19 Vaccine
CDC posted an update on Covid-19 vaccination on October 13, 2023. In brief, the salient points:
They save lives and prevent hospitalizations.
The vaccines work.
The side effects are mild or moderate.
Scientific evidence supports the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines.
They don’t make you magnetic and they don’t have microchips to track your movements. We’re not living in an X-File episode.
COVID-19 in the Rearview Mirror?
One way to think about the Covid-19 pandemic can be that it’s in our rearview mirror, which is one way of saying it’s behind us now.
On the other hand, another way to think about it is that COVID-19 is in our rearview mirror because it’s tailing us.
So, we can’t keep staring in the rearview mirror because that’s not a safe way to drive. We can look forward and drive, paying attention to the signs, which guide us on how to stay ahead of and outrun another pandemic.
One way to do that is to bookmark the CDC COVID-19 web site.
CDC Recommends Updated COVID-19 Vaccine This Fall-Winter Season
The CDC has posted a press release announcing that it has recommended the updated COVID-19 vaccine for the fall/winter virus season.
CDC ACIP Meeting Today on Covid-19 Vaccines
Today is the scheduled meeting for the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). It meets from 10 AM-4 PM EDT. The final agenda is here.
The presentation slides are at this link.
I also want to recommend the recent article on the new Covid vaccine published in Scientific American on September 1, 2023, entitled “When Will the Next COVID Vaccine Be Available, and Who Should Get It?
I think it’s a nice, balanced article which avoids extreme opinions and sticks to the scientific facts.
FDA Authorizes Updated mRNA Covid-19 Vaccines
Today, the FDA approved and authorized the updated mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, specifically for the monovalent XBB.1.5 variant.
See the announcement on the FDA website for full details. The CDC ACIP will meet to discuss clinically-based recommendations for the use of these vaccines tomorrow.
Go Retire Psychiatrist 