FDA Approves Second Booster Dose for Vulnerable Populations Amid Concerns Over Waning Immunity

The Food and Drug Administration will authorize an additional COVID-19 booster dose for seniors and immunocompromised individuals due to worries that current vaccines are not providing durable enough protection against the virus for at-risk groups.
Those aged 65 and older as well as people with weakened immune systems will be eligible to receive another booster shot for free in the coming weeks.
The Biden administration hopes the extra dose will help curb severe outcomes and hospitalizations until new boosters tailored to COVID-19 variants become available later this year.
While not officially recommending the additional booster, the FDA will leave the decision up to patients and doctors based on individual risks and benefits.
The move comes after vaccine experts advised the administration in January to consider an interim booster plan given the unknown duration of protection from initial vaccinations.