US CDC recommends additional Covid-19 boosters for vulnerable groups

Los Angeles, March 30

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended certain immunocompromised individuals and people over the age of 50 to get another mRNA Covid-19 booster at least 4 months after receiving an initial booster dose.

The move will increase protection for these vulnerable groups against severe disease from Covid-19, Xinhua news agency quoted the CDC as saying.

The CDC's move came right after the US Food and Drug Administration authorised a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna Covid-19 vaccines for these people earlier on Tuesday.

In addition, the CDC said adults who received a primary vaccine and booster dose of Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Covid-19 vaccine at least 4 months ago may now receive a second booster dose using an mRNA Covid-19 vaccine.

During the recent Omicron surge, those who were boosted were 21 times less likely to die from Covid-19 compared to those who were unvaccinated, and 7 times less likely to be hospitalised, according to the CDC.