WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will weigh the benefits of authorizing a round of boosters of either the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to a broader population in the fall, a top official said on Tuesday.
The agency authorized on Tuesday a second booster dose of either vaccine for older and immunocompromised people.
“It would not be surprising if there is a potential need … for an additional booster in the fall along with a more general booster campaign if that takes place, said Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.
The agency did not wait for variant-specific booster data before making its decision because the needed quantities would not be available for months, he said.
(Reporting by Ahmed Aboulenein in Washington and Michael Erman in New Jersey; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
