Murky case for fourth doses now with FDA as protection wanes, BA.2 looms

Enlarge / The US Food and Drug Administration in Silver Spring, Maryland. (credit: Getty | Xinhua News Agency)

Vaccine-makers Moderna and Pfizer have now both submitted requests for the US Food and Drug Administration to authorize fourth doses-second boosters-of their COVID-19 vaccines.

Pfizer, along with vaccine partner BioNTech, announced Tuesday that they had asked the FDA to authorize fourth doses for adults age 65 and above. The move followed days of Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla saying in press interviews that a fourth shot is "necessary" for everyone.

Late Thursday, Moderna announced that it, too, had asked the FDA to authorize fourth doses-for all adults. Moderna addressed the broader request in its announcement, saying it's intended to "provide flexibility" for the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to decide for themselves who should get a fourth dose-whether it's specific age groups and/or groups with higher risks of disease.

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