FDA set to authorize third vaccine dose for immunocompromised people, reports say: Live COVID-19 updates
Federal regulators are expected to amend the Emergency Use Authorizations for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to allow for a third shot of coronavirus vaccine as soon as Thursday for some immunocompromised people, multiple reports said Wednesday.An official familiar with the plan told The New York Times that the third shot covers those with solid organ transplants and others whose immune systems are similarly compromised, roughly 10 million Americans. A May study from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that only 17% of transplant recipients had antibodies after their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, with an additional 35% responding after two shots.The reported decision comes as the delta variant surges throughout the United States. It accounts for about 93% of the nation’s cases among all of its iterations.In Mississippi, which is averaging 2,700 new coronavirus infections a day, the number of patients needing intensive care and ventilators has surpassed the worst of the pandemic during the winter months.”The rate of testing positive and rate of hospitalizations that we are seeing, if we continue that trajectory within the next 5 to 7 to 10 days, I think we’re going to see failure of the hospital system of Mississippi,” said Alan Jones, associate vice chancellor for clinical affairs and COVID-19 clinical response
