CDC advisers to decide on omicron-retooled boosters on September 1

Advisers to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will meet on Thursday to vote on whether to recommend the use of two COVID-19 vaccine boosters tailored against the omicron variant.

A recommendation in favor of the modified vaccines by Pfizer Inc and its German partner BioNTech SE, as well as Moderna Inc is expected to pave the way for a rollout next week.

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The US Food and Drug Administration is yet to authorize the two modified boosters, for which applications were submitted last week.

The so-called bivalent vaccines include both the currently dominant BA.4 and BA.5 omicron subvariants and the original version of the virus.

While Pfizer's vaccine would be for people aged 12 and older, Moderna's would be for those 18 and older.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will also meet on Friday but the CDC did not explain in detail the agenda for the day.

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