U.S. CDC recommends updated COVID-19 boosters targeting Omicron

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed on Thursday the first updated COVID-19 booster shots that target Omicron subvariants.

The decision came after advisers to the CDC voted to recommend reformulated versions of the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized the updated booster shots from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech.

The Moderna updated booster is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 18 years of age and older. The Pfizer-BioNTech booster is authorized for use as a single booster dose in individuals 12 years of age and older.

The updated COVID-19 boosters add Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 spike protein components to the current vaccine composition, helping restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination by targeting variants that are more transmissible and immune-evading, said the CDC.

"The updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating COVID-19 variant. They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants," said CDC Director Rochelle Walensky in a statement.