COVID Boosters: Updates, Timing, and Rising Cases

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that there are no plans to reinstate mask mandates despite the recent increase in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations. The CDC is currently working on approving and recommending Covid-19 booster shots, which are expected to be cleared by the FDA before a CDC vaccine advisory panel meeting on September 12. Some doctors are urging for faster distribution of the boosters to combat the rise in cases. The boosters will target omicron subvariants, including the predominant subvariant EG.5 and the concerning subvariant BA.2.86. While it is still uncertain how effective the boosters will be against these variants, preliminary data from Moderna suggests that the updated booster may work against omicron subvariants.