Updated boosters for adults, teens expected soon

White House coronavirus response coordinator Ashish Jha said Wednesday evening that updated COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be available in “a few short weeks” for everyone over the age of 12.

 

“The vaccines that are coming in a few short weeks are specifically designed for the virus that’s out there, and I believe it’s going to be available and every American over the age of 12 will be eligible,” Jha said on “NBC Nightly News.”

 

How many actually want it? There remains a question of how many people will get the updated shots, given that uptake for boosters so far has lagged. Only about half of people with the first two shots got the first booster dose, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data.

 

The Food and Drug Administration instructed vaccine makers to make these updated vaccines at the end of June, and it will have to officially sign off on the new shots before they become available.

 

‘Two shots is not enough’: The CDC has not officially changed the definition of “fully vaccinated” to include boosters, despite some experts’ calls, but Jha stressed on Wednesday that “two shots is not enough.”

 

“People need at least three,” he said. That is because the virus has evolved, and protection from the initial vaccines wanes over time.