U.S. CDC says all adults should get COVID-19 booster shots

U.S. CDC says all adults should get COVID-19 booster shots The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday everyone aged 18 years and older should get a booster shot, as it looks to tackle a new and highly infectious strain of the coronavirus that is quickly spreading across the globe. Reuters Reuters

Nov 29 (Reuters) - The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday everyone aged 18 years and older should get a booster shot, as it looks to tackle a new and highly infectious strain of the coronavirus that is quickly spreading across the globe.

The update comes after President Joe Biden on Monday called for wider vaccination to curb the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, which was first detected in southern Africa. read more

The U.S. health regulators last week expanded the eligibility for booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines to all adults aged 18 and older either six months after their initial Pfizer (PFE.N) or Moderna (MRNA.O) vaccine doses or two months after their Johnson & Johnson (JNJ.N) shot.

The CDC had, however, stopped short of saying all adults aged 18 to 49 should get the additional shots.

The agency is taking a more cautious stance asOmicron's emergence further emphasizes the importance of vaccination and boosters, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said in a statementon Monday.

Amid the renewed emphasis, Pfizer and partner BioNTech(22UAy.DE) are expected to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the coming days to authorize their booster shots for those aged 16 and 17 years, the Washington Post reported on Monday, citing sources. ...